CIHM 
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Series 
(■Monographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographles) 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Hiatorical  Microraproductions  /  Inttitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiont  historiquaa 


Ttchnical  and  Bibliographic  Notts  /  Notts  tachniquM  at  bibliograptiiqua* 


Tha  Inttitutt  has  anampted  to  obtain  tha  bast  original 
copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this  copy  which 
may  ba  biWiographically  uniqua,  which  may  alttr  any 
of  tha  imagas  in  tha  raproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  changa  tha  usual  mattrad  of  filming,  ara 
chacked  balow. 


0 


Coloured  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couvarture  andommagie 


□  Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restauria  et/ou  pelliculte 


ni: 


Cover  title  missing/ 

titre  de  couverture  manque 


□  Coloured  maps/ 
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□  Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
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Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  lerr^  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  interieure 


n 


Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  textt, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  etait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  ete  filmtes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il 
lui  a  4t*  possible  de  se  procurer.   Les  details  da  cat 
exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-4tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue 
bibliographique,  qui  peuvcnt  modifier  une  image 
reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification 
Hans  la  mithode  normale  de  f  ilmage  sont  indiqufe 
-dessous. 

□  Coloured  pages/ 
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Qf*ages  damaged/ 
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H  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dieolories,  tachettes  ou  piquaes 

0  Pages  detached/ 
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D 

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Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  in^le  de  I'impression 

Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 

Includes  index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  index 

Title  on  header  taken  from:  / 
Le  titre  de  I'en-tCte  provient: 


□  Title  page  of  issue/ 
Page  de  titre  de  la  livraison 

□  Caption  of  issue/ 
Titre  de  depart  de  la  livraison 

□  Masthead/ 
Generique  (periodiques)  de  la  livraison 


r— I  Additional  comments:/  There  are   some  creases   in  the  middle  of   the   pages. 

LLJ  Commentaires  supplementaires:       ^^8^8  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata   slips,    tissues, 

etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best  possible  image. 

This  Item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indique  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X  26X  Mx 


zrTr_"^T^ 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24  X 


28X 


22t 


Th«  copy  film«d  h»n  has  b««n  raproduead  thanks 
to  ttia  ganarosity  of: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Reference  Library 
Business  and  Social  Sciences  Department 


L'axamplaira  filmi  fut  raproduit  grlea  i  la 
ginArositA  da: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Reference  Library 
Business  and  Social  Sciences  Department 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  tMst  quality 
poasibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spaeificationa. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  ttt  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grsnd  soin.  eompts  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  I'axampiaira  film*,  at  an 
conf  ormit*  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  fUmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  Ail 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  fiimad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  Illuatratad  impraa* 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  impi  saton. 


Laa  axampiairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  imprimta  sont  filmte  sn  commancant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'lllustration.  soit  par  la  tacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  sutras  axampiairas 
originaux  sont  filmte  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraasion  ou  d'lllustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darhiira  paga  qui  comporta  una  taila 
amprainta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  —"^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  appiias. 


Un  daa  symboiaa  suivants  spparaltra  sur  la 
darnlAra  imaga  da  chaquo  microficha,  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbola  -^  signlfis  "A  SUIVRE",  Is 
symbols  Y  signifia  "FIN' . 


Mapa.  piatas.  chans.  ate.  may  ba  fiimad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratioa.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  included  in  ona  axpoaura  ara  fiimad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  comar,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illuatrata  tha 
mathod: 


Las  cartas,  pianchas.  tabiaaux,  ate.  pauvant  Atra 
fllmte  i  daa  taux  da  reduction  diffirsnts. 
Lorsqua  la  document  ast  trap  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  ciicha,  il  ast  film*  i  partir 
da  I'angla  supiriaur  gaucha,  da  gaucha  i  droits, 
at  da  haut  an  bas.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagas  nAcassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
iilustrant  la  mithoda. 


1 

2 

3 

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MICROCOTY  RESOlUTlbN  TBT  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


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16S3   East  Main   Street 

Roctiester.   New  York        U609       USA 

(716)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 

(716)   288 -5989 -Fax 


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NATHAN  SITES 


AN  EPIC  OF  THE  EAST 


BT 


S.  MOORE  SITES 


With  Introduction  by 

BISHOP  William  fraser  McDOWELL 

Of  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 


New  York  Chicago  Tobonto 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Comp^riy 


London 


AND 


Edinburqb* 


#••• 

.••. 


••>:.. 


Copyright,  1913.  hf 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


-a-ex^c.'ft^ 


METROPOLITAN 

TORONTO 
CENTRAL 
LIBRARY 

Social  Scienos 


••  ••• 
•V; 


•••  • 

•••• 


Hov»r2  2  1911 

New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  125  N.  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  St.,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoater  Sqnare 
Edinburgh:  100  Princes  Street 


INTBODUCTION 


IN  modem  missions  nothing  is  more  fascinat- 
ing, instructive,  encouraging  and  thrilling 
than  the  lives  of  those  who  are  enacting  the 
new  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  On  the  foreign  field 
we  seem  to  be  back  again  in  the  early  years 
of  the  Christian  Church,  to  be  living  oyer 
again  the  experiences  of  those  who  first  carried 
Christianity  to  now  Christian  people.  And  every 
mission  field  has  its  superb  and  shining  example 
of  devotion,  courage,  self-sacrifice,  faith,  states- 
manship and  Christian  wisdom.  Every  field 
proudly  treasures  certain  great  and  famous 
names,  and  uses  them  as  names  to  conjure  with. 
These  are  the  recognized  vintage  of  the  Church 
universal. 

Some  achieve  general  reputation,  others  a  local 
recognition  which  is  beyond  all  words.  Every 
mission  is  richly  blessed  in  the  lives  of  some 
who  have  done  or  are  doing  an  immortal  work, 
without  reaching  such  fame  as  Livingstone's  or 
Carey's  or  Martyn's.  The  time  always  fails  us 
to  tell  of  many  who,  through  their  faith,  subdued 
kingdoms,  ruled  righteously,  gained  the  fulfihment 
of  God*s  promises,  shut  the  mouths  of  lions, 
quelled  the  fury  of  the  fiames,  escaped  the  edge 
of  the  sword,  found  strength  in  the  hour  of  weak- 

0 


6  INTRODUCTION 

ness,  were  valiant  in  war,  routed  hostile  armies 
and  did  those  other  marvellous  deeds  that  belong 
to  the  life  of  faith. 

Christian  history  has  nothing  finer  in  any  of 
its  pagec  than  the  records  of  some  of  these  men 
and  women.  All  round  the  world  we  heard  such 
names  spoken  with  reverence  and  affection.  It 
would  be  easy  to  mention  many,  for  it  is  truly  a 
'*  glorious  company." 

High  on  the  roll  of  those  who  have,  and  who 
richly  deserve  such  recognition,  is  the  name  of 
the  man  whose  life's  stoiy  these  words  inade- 
quately and  imperfectly  introduce — the  Rev. 
Nathan  Sites,  whose  name  is  **  writ  large  "  in 
the  annals  of  the  Church  in  the  Chinese  Empire. 

He  was  the  first  alumnus  of  the  Ohio  Wesleyan 
University  to  go  to  a  foreign  field.  Scores  have 
followed  him  since  and  others  wait  to  go. 

In  a  real  sense,  these  two  sentences  tell  the 
whole  story.  Dr.  Sites  was  always  going  ahead 
iiimself,  and  ever  leading  others  into  good  work. 
Himself  a  true  missionary,  he  has  left  to  the 
world  a  missionary  family,  and  a  large  missionary 
succession.  Many  American  men  and  women  were 
led  by  him  to  give  their  lives  to  foreign  missions 
as  their  life  work.  Many  Chinese  men  and  women 
were  led  by  him  to  the  service  of  their  country- 
men through  the  Christian  ministry. 

At  Foochow,  the  name  of  Nathan  Sites  is  as 
ointment  poured  forth.  There  he  lived  and 
labored,  and  after  nearly  forty  years  of  toil,  fell. 
There  he  lies  buried  near  Bishop  Wiley,  and 


INTRODUCTION  7 

others  of  our  heroic  and  sacred  dead.  There  one 
day,  a  few  months  ago,  a  little  group  of  ns  stood 
and  thanked  God  for  the  lives  and  services  of 
those  who  there  sleep  in  Him.  There  we  prayed 
together  that  their  well-begun  work  might  be 
made  perfect  in  China's  redemption. 

This  volume  is  written  with  love  by  one  who, 
through  the  long  years,  worthily  shared  the  life 
end  labors  of  this  man  of  God.  Their  children 
at  home  and  on  the  foreign  field  arise  and  call 
them  blessed,  and  a  great  host,  which  no  man 
can  number,  have  entered  in,  and  wHl  yet  eyiter 
in  to  the  eternal  city  because  Nathan  Sites  lived 
before  them  his  faithful  life,  and  told  them  the 
story  of  Jesus  Christ. 

For  many  years  Dr.  Sites  had  his  membership 
in  the  North  Ohio  Conference.  I  count  myself 
honored  to  have  had  my  own  Conference  member- 
ship in  the  body  to  which  he  belong«d.  I  am 
doubly  honored  in  being  permitted  tc  write  a 
brief  foreword  in  thi?  loving  record  of  his  faith- 
ful and  useful  life. 

William  Feasbb  McDowell. 


Mine  U  not  a  love  tiory,  yet  it  it  a  etor^ 
of  love.  It  w  the  aiory  of  a  life  rich  in  iteelf 
and  riohly  interlived  with  other  (toe*.  The 
melodtf  of  that  life,  <u  it  atiU  einge  itaelf  in 
my  heart,  haa  long  ainoe  grown  to  he  a  aym- 
phony  in  the  Uvea  of  wide  eommunitiea.  Many 
who  have  loved  the  melody  have  wiahed  that 
more  might  ham  the  aymphony,—if  I  oan  but 

teaoh  it.  _   „^„  -™«- 

8.  MOMC  sms. 


i 


a 

! 


CONTENTS 


/. 

II. 

Ill 

IV. 


V. 

VI. 

VIL 

VIII 

IX. 

X. 

XI 

J\  ri 

XIII 


Thb  MoTiva 

The  First  Recruit 17 

A  Pioneer  Poet 19 

HeveiUe ^^ 

7%e ''Cathay'' ^ 

Thk  Intinciblb  Oobpbl 

An  Outpost:  The  First  Skirmish  .        .  S3 

Enlistments Ihl 

Reconnoitring ^8 

The  Olcifleld  Trail 61 

Footnotes  on  the  Olc^eld  Trail      .        .  60 

Monkeys  and  Mandarins  in  Bonniebum  66 

Among  the  Rapids 79 

In  the  City  of  Lingering  Peace    .        .  88 

Seven  Golden  CantUesticks     .        .        .  89 


XIV. 

XV. 

XVI 

XVIL 

XVIII 


Thb  Tbeblb  Note 

At  the  Temple  of  Eternal  Spring 
A  Song  of  Deliverance  . 
The  Girls'  Drill  Chround 
High  Finance 


.  97 

.  m 

.  109 

Ground- Breaking 118 

11 


mk 


I>^ 


It  CONTENTS 

Thb  Gbubob  Militavt 

XIX.  A  Bueeaneer  ApovUt         ...  If* 

XX.  Comradet  of  the  Croti      .       .       .  ISO 

XXI.     CommUiariat ^^ 

XXxL  Larger  Strategy         .       .       .       .  W 

XXIIL    An  Armory U7 

XXIV.    Martial  Mmie ^^4 

XXV.  Interlude:  When  the  Heart  Singe      .  166 

XXVI.    The  Areenal ^^7 


XXVII 

XXVIII 

XXIX. 

XXX. 


Uhdsbtohx 

The  Coet — '77 

The  Campaign  Senewed    .        .        •    1S8 

Battle  Scare ^** 

Broken  Melody 197 


XXXI 

XXXII 

XXXIII 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI 

XXXVII 


Tax  Tbiumpb  Sovo 

Young  Men  for  War        .       .        .  SOS 

Hotne  from  the  Ihm*                .        .  S16 

Peace  Hath  Her  Victoriee         .        .  918 

An  Overtone *^-4 

The  HdOeltyah  Chorue      .       .        .  2S1 

The  Singer «** 

Camp-fire *-^ 


Thb  Domimaht  Chobd 
^^BithelbotetepeofaMan:'    ByW.S.Biseonnette    U7 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Photoobapbs,  Hahd-oolobbd  : 

Th$  Rio*  Mm ^ 

TtmpU'Bridge ^' 

A  Gentkman  of  the  Old  School     .       ...  70 

Zotut  JFtower  Mountain,  near  the  Upper  Min  79 

Ku-ehan—Hntrance  to  Monaefiry  Orounde  .  97 

The  floating  population  of  a  Chinese  viOage    .        .  US 

Young  China,— We  are  coming  your  viay    .        .  117 

The  Aeeen,  to  KH-ehan—Rock  Ineeriptione  .       .  1S9 
Timber  Rq/te  on  the  River  Min     .                       .188 

Nathan  Sitee  Memorial  Academy,  Ten-ping  .        .  196 
White  Pagoda  and  TmpU  WM,  Scene  of  Rattle^ 

1911 ^ 

TVaneportation  in  China ^IS 

In  Toks: 

Nathan  SiUe Frontwpieoe 

A  mUen  fleet  ofjunke,  anchored  as  if  for  all  time  .  !^ 
The  Bridge  of  Tm  Thousand  Ages  stretched  like 

a  dragon  across  the  Min '^ 

Unspoiled  Human  Nature 41 

Clearwater -^ 

The  road  mounts  the  ridges  %oith  well-made  stone 

steps ^4 

A  wcUer-ln{ff'alo  preparing  the  rice  fields        .  66 
The  merchandise  is  dung  from  ipringy  bamboo 

poles ^^ 

18 


14  ILLUSTBATIONS 

A  nie€  varrn  Jlr^<uk«t ^ 

lAd  ffreat  god  Budd,  fifttmftti  high  and  <n>«rtaid 

¥)Uhgold ^'f 

Our  faithful  guidt ^^ 

In  the  angU  of  the  eUy  wiU,  Jhristian  eehooU 

now  Jkmrieh .      66 

Safdy  eheltered  from  the  wUere      ....** 
fhe  Citi,  of  Lingering  Peace         ....** 

Seven  (olden  CandU  ticks ** 

On  the  Road  to  the    City  of  Eternal  Sprung,  a 

Mandarin^  Grave  ^ 

Ihetival  Stylee  at  the  Temple  of  Eternal  SpHng  .      99 
The  *' Outlook''  of  the    Nbn- Christian  Bride  in 

Binyhua ^^ 

Woman's  Sphere ^^"^ 

Where  East  and  West  Meet ^^0 

Crooning  the  Classics ^^^ 

I%e  Buccaneer  Apostle •'^ 

Among  the  black  rocks,  on  a  quiet  hillside,  near 

the  church  he  last  served ■'^^ 

A  Drowsy  Village  of  the  Stnghua  Region  .        .    lU 
Blossoms  frfm  the  Kindergarten    .  .166 

*Tis  the  Wedding  Morning ^^6 

Rapid  TVansit ^^^ 

A  houseboat  waited  at  the  jetty  for  the  turning 

of  the  tide    ...        '  ...    167 

Supper-time ^°* 

Not  a  spring  mattress,  but  plain  boards   .  .18^ 

Dr.  Sia **-* 

mahan  Siuis  Memorial  Good  Shepherd  Hospital,— 

Clearwater ^^^ 

The  Mission  Cemetery,  Ibochow      .        .        •        .^37 
By  Lone  Sea-breakers ^-^ 


THE  MOTIVE 


"  /  cannot  in  the  vaUey  atay, 
The  wide  horizons  call  away, 
The  very  olifft  that  wall  me  round 
Are  iaddere  unto  higher  ground." 


THE  FIRST  EECEUIT 


IT  was  chapel  hour  at  Ohio  Wesleyan.  Stu- 
dents thronged  through  the  doorways  to  their 
places,  but  there  were  signs  of  suppressed 
excitement  in  the  air.  A  day  or  two  before,  a 
certain  student,  having  been  disciplined  by  the 
Faculty  for  some  misdemeanor,  had  angrily  taxed 
another  with  **  peaching  "  on  him.  This  fellow- 
student  would  neither  deny  nor  admit.  The  irate 
one,  nursing  his  wrath  to  keep  it  warm,  was  now 
darkly  threatening  to  dirk  the  man  who,  he 
thought,  had  told. 

This  student,  sitting  quietly  among  his  class- 
mates, had  not  the  aspect  of  a  tattler.  He  was 
of  sturdy  build  and  frank  countenance,  betoken- 
ing a  youth  trained  in  the  open  life  of  the  farm, 
and  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  Christian  home.  The 
men  nearest  him  seemed  to  incline  toward  him 
with  an  air  of  comradeship  which  said  that  they 
liked  him  and  believed  In  him. 

The  Faculty  came  in — grand  men  in  the 
strength  of  their  prime — and  took  the  big  chairs 
in  which  they  always  sat,  across  the  back  of  the 
platform.  There  were  Frederick  Merrick,  L.  D. 
McCabe  and  the  rest,  and  in  their  midst  Thom- 

17 


18 


THE  MOTIVE 


son.  Here  was  a  president  who  really  ruled,  but 
with  sudi  grace  and  vision  that  one  thought  of 
him  not  as  an  autocrat  but  as  seer  aiid  leader 
and  mighty  friend.  After  prayers  he  rose  to 
speak. 

Quietly  he  drew  the  lightning  from  the  crowd. 
Perhaps  faculties  and  students  lived  closer  to- 
gether in  those  days  of  small  things  than  now. 
Frankly  he  told  the  facts,  that  the  student  accused 
oi  tale-bearing  had  really  given  no  information, 
but  he  had  not  denied  because  he  wanted  to  keep 
the  trouble  maker  from  laying  the  blame  on  some 
other  man.  Then  the  seer  in  Thomson  flashed 
out.  "  Give  me  a  regiment  of  such  men,"  he  c  :- 
claimed,  **  and  I  will  take  the  world!  " 

Thomson's  Regiment  is  filling  up;  and  that 
student  was  his  first  recruit. 


n 


A  PIONEER  POET 

THE  father  of  Nathan  Sites  was  a  genius. 
He  was  homely  in  wit  and  naive  in  manner, 
eminently  practical  and  with  a  knack  of 
succeeding.  He  was  also,  in  his  own  quaint  way, 
a  poet.  His  poetry  was  of  the  accidental  quality, 
without  malice  prepense.  In  his  journal  he  would 
often  begin  recording  his  reflections  in  prose, 
then,  as  the  thought  warmed  his  heart,  the  words 
would  drop  into  rhyme.  Bear  with  him  a  mo- 
ment while,  at  three  score  years  and  ten,  he  re- 
counts the  story  of  his  life's  highest  joy  and 
deepest  loss: 


On  the  ttcenty-Eighth  day  of  February, 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  Seventeen  hundred 

Ifinety-nine,  a  lovely  Child  wa«  Born. 

She  was  so  innocent,  so  fair,  so  sweet, 

And  as  in  age  she  grew. 

She  grew  in  favor  with  all  she  knew. 

In  Eighteen  Hundred  and  Eighteen, 

She  was  by  the  Spirit  bom  again, 

In  eighteen-hundred  and  twenty  seven. 

To  Me  Her  Stoeet  right  hand  and  heart  were  given. 

In  Eighteen  f^undred  and  Seventy, 

It  pleased  1   s  Lord  to  take  Her  from  Me. 

Half  of  Myself,  the  Lord  has  taken. 
And  yet  I  feel  I  am  not  forsaken, 

19 


20  THE  MOTIVE 

/  hear  My  Saviour  toy,  fear  not,  I  am  veitX  you, 
B«  faithful  until  death,  and  I  vnll  Save  you  too, 
AU  the$e  hopea  I  owe  to  my  Lord  and  Baviour, 
To  whom  be  glory  now  and  Forever.    Amen. 

The  loved  one  thus  lost  was  by  name  Sarah 
Fidler.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  who 
emigrated  from  Pennsylvania,  in  the  early  years 
of  the  nineteenth  centnry,  to  the  great  Northwest 
Territory.  When  young  Robert  Sites,  strong  in 
heart  and  Lmb,  coming  from  old  Virginia  to 
seek  his  fortune,  won  her  sweet  right  hand  and 
heart,  he  laid  their  hearth-stone  hard  by  a  spring 
on  a  fertile  slope  in  Richland  County,  among  the 
Ohio  hills.  The  tract  of  land  which  he  then 
bought  is  still  in  the  family.  With  his  own  hands 
Robert  Sites  squared  the  logs  to  build  their  cabin. 
Here  Nathan  Sites  was  bom;  and  here  he  grew 
up  to  robust  young  manhood. 

When  he  went  to  college  at  the  City  of  the 
Sulphur  Spring  he  took  witli  him  various  odd 
lots  of  book-learning  from  the  country  school, 
and  a  good  kit  of  carpenter's  tools  which  he  knew 
how  to  use.  So  he  worked  hard  at  his  lessons, 
and  built  houses  and  health  in  his  play  time. 
Sometimes  his  father  drove  over  the  forty  luiles 
from  home  in  the  spring  wagon  with  apples  and 
good  things  which  Mother  had  prepared.  It  was 
a  happy,  busy  life  for  him  and  he  helped  to  make 
it  happy  for  others. 

Boys  found  him  a  superb  friend.  "  He  was  so 
joyous,  30  instructive,  so  gentle,  ao  vigorous," 
says  one,  "  that  I  can  only  think  of  him  as  mj 


A  PIONEER  POET 


21 


blessed  play-fellow."  Old  residents  of  Delaware 
recall  a  Boys'  Club,  which  he  created  while  a 
student  there,  as  the  most  successful  thing  of 
the  kind  they  ever  knew.  He  had  in  it  half  a 
hun;.ed  youngsters,  ten  to  fifteen  years  of  age, 
whom  he  fairly  magnetized  as  he  guided  them 
into  paths  of  Christian  manhood. 

For  during  his  six  years  at  college  he  had 
learned  something  better  than  books.  He  had 
entered  another  apprenticeship,  with  a  Master 
who  Himself  was  once  a  carpenter,  and  was 
already  learning  to  help  the  Master  build  men. 


V  f 


ni 

REVEILLE 

IN  a  little  Ohio  town  the  preachers  of  the  North 
Ohio  Oonference  were  assembled  in  annual 
session.  It  was  the  evening  of  the  missionary 
address.  On  the  platform  was  a  man  who  had 
seen  twelve  years  of  service  in  China.  China 
was  frightfully  far  off, — on  the  earth,  but  on  the 
under  side  of  it.  You  took  half  a  year  to  get 
there  and  likely  as  not  you  would  never  get  back. 

Ono  young  man  in  the  audience  was  studying 
the  speaker  intently.  He  had  been  graduated 
from  college  the  year  before,  1859.  Now  he  was 
just  finishing  his  first  year  as  junior  preacher  on 
a  country  **  circuit."  While  at  college  he  had 
often  debated,  in  the  old  missionary  Lyceum,  with 
his  chum  Scott,  and  C.  C.  McCabe  and  other 
zealous  souls.  Scott  rather  championed  China 
and  McCabe  India,  but  Sites  inclined  to  Africa. 
Here  at  last  was  a  live  missionary,  and  from 
China — Rev.  R.  S.  Maclay. 

The  opening  hymn  was  announced.  As  the 
junior  preacher  lifted  heart  and  voice  in  the 
ecstasy  of  faith  and  hope  and  youth,  some  one 
thrust  a  letter  into  his  hand.    It  was  from  Bishop 


EEVEILLE 


23 


Baker.    In  it  the  Bishop  asked  if  he  would  be 
willing  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  China. 

It  struck  him  as  a  summons  to  duty.  He  was 
thrilled  through  and  through.  He  had  never  told 
any  one  how,  ever  since  his  conversion,  he  had 
felt  a  yearning  to  carry  the  gospel  to  those  in 
darkest  heathenism. 

With  keen  interest  he  listened  to  every  word, 
sought  a  brief  interview  with  the  speaker,  then 
hastened  to  his  room  and  fell  upon  his  knees  in 
thanksgiving  and  prayer  to  God  for  guidance. 
Then,  without  waiting  to  confer  with  flesh  and 
blood,  he  replied  to  the  Bishop  that  he  was  will- 
ing to  go. 

He  did  not  dare  delay  his  answer,  and  risk 
seeing  his  mother's  tears.  He  did  not  dare  even 
question  what  might  be  the  decision  of  the  woman 
he  loved.    It  was  God's  call;  and  he  obeyed. 

**  When  you  go,  NathcU,  we  shall  never  meet 
again  in  this  world." 

These  were  his  mother's  words,  uttered  in  sad- 
ness after  his  parents  had  given  their  blessing. 
And  what  she  said  proved  true. 

When  he  came  to  my  home,  all  was  not  smooth 
and  of  one  accord.  I  was  dumb  with  wonder  and 
confusion.  But  how  could  I  refuse  what  he,  who 
had  been  so  honored  of  God  and  the  Church,  asked 
of  me?  Besides  I  was  willing  to  go  with  the  man 
I  loved  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  But  I  was 
not  certain  that  I  was  the  person  to  go  as  the 
wife  of  a  missionary. 


24 


THE  MOTIVE 


My  mother  was  grief-stricken. 

"  Bach  a  sacrifice  is  not  to  be  thought  of  I " 
she  cried.  My  father — I  can  see  his  radiant  smile 
now  as  he  clasped  my  lover's  hand. 

**  I  wonld  rather  my  daughter  should  go  with 
you,  as  a  missionary  to  China,'*  he  said,  *'  than 
go  as  wife  of  the  ambassador  to  any  kingdom  on 
earth." 

There  was  not  harmony  among  the  members 
of  the  family.  I  felt  condemned  to  cause  my 
mother  grief,  and  it  pierced  my  heart  to  see  her 
tears.  But  in  the  weeks  of  preparation,  as  they 
sped  by,  we  all  tried  hard  to  be  cheerful.  Mr. 
Sites  came  often,  always  bringing  brightness  and 
inspiration,  and  making  it  seem  easier  to  go  on 
with  our  work. 

We  tried,  in  public  libraries,  to  find  books  on 
China.  We  wanted  to  learn  something  about  that 
mysterious  country  and  people.  There  was  al- 
most nothing  to  be  found.  It  seemed  that  we 
were  going  we  knew  not  whither.  Even  our  mis- 
sionary secretary  had  no  accurate  perception  of 
our  needs  in  going  to  that  strange  land.  We  were 
instructed  to  get  everything  we  should  need  in 
clothing  and  house  furnishing  to  last  five  years 
or  more! 

I  had  always  supposed  my  wedding  would  be 
the  greatest  event  of  my  life.  Now  there  was 
another  overshadowing  it.  The  invitations  were 
out;  we  were  to  be  married  in  the  little  white 
church  in  the  valley.  For  weeks  Father  was  meet- 
ing neighbors  and  old  friends  who  would  say: 


BEVEILLE 


25 


"I'd  like  to  be  at  that  wedding.  I'd  like  to 
Bee  a  couple  married  who  are  going  off  to  China." 

Father  would  reply: 

"  Gome !  Come  and  bring  yonr  family.  I  want 
all  onr  neighbors  to  feel  that  they  are  invited." 

And  they  came. 


IV 


THE  "CATHAY" 

A  BRIGHT  Jnne  morning  rose  on  the  tea 
wharves  along  the  New  York  water  front. 
The  clipper  ship  "  Cathay  "  was  ready  to 
sail  for  China.  Onr  party  for  Foochow  included 
the  man  who  had  made  the  address  on  China,  that 
eventful  night  eight  months  before,  and  his  wife, 
who  became,  as  it  were,  a  second  mother  to  me. 

The  sailing  of  missionaries  was  an  event  in 
those  days.  The  whole  staflf  of  missionary  sec- 
retaries and  a  Bishop  or  two,  besides  many  New 
York  clergymen,  were  on  hand  to  see  us  off. 

As  for  me,  I  was  glad  the  good-byes  that  really 
counted  had  been  said  at  the  old  home  on  the 
hill,  hundreds  of  miles  back.  But  Mr.  Sites 
missed  me  from  the  deck,  and  came  to  find  me 
in  the  cabin  writing  more  last  words  to  Mother. 

While  the  great  clocks  of  the  city  were  striking 
twelve,  the  order  was  given,  **  Let  her  go."  A 
little  tugboat  drew  us  from  our  n^norings  and 
we  were  really  afloat— adrift,  it  seemed— moving 
Chinaward. 

There  was  singing  on  the  pier;  and  as  we  swung 
out  into  the  channel,  an  answering  strain  from 
the  ship: 


THE  "  CATHAY  " 


27 


1 


-BhM  iM  wftoM  touU  are  UgkM,— 
Bkall  we  to  mm  benighted 
The  Ught  of  life  denpl  " 

Fainter  and  fainter  ochoes  from  the  shore; 
fainter  outlines  of  familiar  forms;  the  city  sinks 
slowly  into  the  sea;  solid  land  becomes  a  dream. 
Then  as  day  after  day  passes,  with  no  prospect 
but  the  heaving  waters,  endlessly  the  same,  we 
wonder  that  there  could  ever  be  so  much  of  any- 
thing !  And  some  of  us  wish  a  thousand  times  for 
the  fulfilment  of  the  promise: — 

"  There  shall  be  no  more  sea.*' 

Next  morning,  Sunday,  while  I  was  attempt- 
ing to  dress,  but  too  seasick  to  do  so,  Mr.  Sites 
came  telling  me  with  much  zest,  how  delightful 
it  was  on  deck ;  that  he  had  seen  the  sunrise  and 
had  read  his  Bible  lesson,  sitting  astride  the  yard- 
arm,  halfway  up  the  mainmast. 

The  course  wa '  southeast,  crossing  the  Equator 
and  doubling  the  Gape  of  Good  Hope;  then  east- 
ward and  northeast  across  the  Indian  Ocean.  We 
got  not  a  glimpse  of  the  coast  of  Africa.  Some 
days  we  made  very  little  progress;  indeed,  for 
many  days,  we  rolled  becalmed  under  the  heat 
of  the  tropical  sun.  Occasionally,  a  favoring  wind 
drove  us  onwprd  as  much  as  two  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  in  a  day.  .iter  eighty-three  days  with- 
out a  sight  of  land,  we  were  thrilled  by  the  cry, 
"  Land  ahoy  I  "  from  the  lookout  sailor  at  the 
masthead.  Our  untrained  eyes  could  discern  noth- 
ing but  a  dark  streak  like  a  cloud  on  the  horizon. 
Mr.  Sites  hastened  to  climb  the  mast  and  soon, 


28 


THE  MOTIVE 


from  hit  perch  near  the  top,  he  c»Ued  to  us  that 
he  had  a  good  view  of  land— the  strange,  tropical 
island  of  Java.  We  dropped  anchor  in  the  har- 
bor of  Anjer,  and  here  received  our  latest  news 
from  the  CivU  War. 

The  captain  announced  that  we  mig^t  take  the 
ship's  small  boats  and  go  off  to  the  island  to  re- 
turn in  about  three  hours.  Those  of  us  willing 
to  brave  that  broad  stretch  of  water  were  low- 
ered in  a  rattan  arm-chair  by  ropes  over  the  side 
of  the  vessel.  Our  feet  were  fairly  dancing  to 
touch,  once  more,  solid  earth  and  green  grass. 

We  called  on  the  wife  of  the  Dutch  Governor 
of  the  island,  who  politely  received  us  in  her 
pretty  vine-covered  *-"^flralow,  and  served  sweets 
and  fruits.    We  v  *  leisure  through  the 

grounds,  admiring  th  %  tropical  verdure, 

the  fruits  and  flowers,  - —  the  birds  of  rare 
plumage.  We  tried  to  veil  our  eyes  from  the 
crudity  of  man  outside  the  sheltering  walls,  but 
were  unable  to  escape  the  shock  which  this  first 
view  of  unkempt  heathenism  brought. 

Other  boats  had  been  sent  to  secure  fresh  pro- 
visions for  the  ship.  These  came  back,  laden 
with  immense  branches  of  bananas,  hundreds  of 
cocoanuts  and  yams,  sweet  potatoes,  eggs  and 
dozens  of  young  chickens.  For  days  afterwards 
we  revelled  in  luxuries,  and  almost  forgot  the 
miseries  of  the  past  voyage. 

When  we  had  sailed  through  the  Straits  of 
Sunda  the  monsoon  came  to  our  aid  and  we  had 
a  stiff,  steady  wind  which  drove  us  gloriously 


THE  "  CATHAY  " 

on  until,  in  about  the  latitude  of  Hong  Kong,  it 
failed  ni.  Our  ship  made  sharp  tacks  but  very 
little  progress.  After  some  days  we  were  said 
to  be  in  the  region  of  Amoy.  Here  the  captain 
decided  to  put  in  and  land  his  Amoy  and  Fooehow 
passengers  instead  of  carrying  ns  all  to  Shanghai, 
his  port  of  destination. 

There  was  no  Suez  Canal  in  those  days,  bnt 
the  American  and  European  mails  were  carried 
across  the  isthmus  by  rail  and  the  China  mission- 
aries all  along  the  ooaflt,  wherever  there  were  mis- 
sions, had  learned  of  the  sailing  of  the  "  Cathay  ** 
from  New  York,  and  the  names  and  destination 
of  her  passengers. 

There  wf^s  a  flutter  of  excitement  among  the 
group  of  Americans  and  English  at  Amoy,  when 
one  morning  they  descried  the  "  Cathay  "  in  the 
outer  harbor.  They  were  soon  in  their  small  na- 
tive boats,  coming  rapidly  toward  us.  We  gazed 
and  wondered,  *  *  Be  they  men  or  no  t  "  They  were 
dressed  in  white  trousers  and  short  white  linen 
coats  buttoned  to  the  neck,  and  wore  white  hel- 
mets on  their  heads.  We  were  coming  into  a 
strange  world ;  perhaps  these  were  the  peculiar  in- 
habitants !  They  drew  nearer  and  then  we  heard 
English  words  and  shouts  of  welcome. 

After  a  delightful  week  in  Amoy,  a  smell  coast 
steamer  from  Hong  Kong  brought  us  in  fifteen 
hours  to  Pagoda  Anchorage,  in  the  Min  River, 
twelve  miles  below  Foochov^  City.  Thence  a  row- 
boat,  manned  by  six  or  eignt  Chinese,  carried  us 
at  last  to  our  landing,  and  our  journey  of  one 


II 


30 


THE  MOTIVE 


hundred  and   one  days   from   New  York  was 

over. 

It  was  the  nineteenth  of  September,  1861.  We 
were  very  glad  and  happy.  Mr.  Sites  scarcely 
knew  whether  he  was  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body,  so  overjoyed  was  he  to  stand  on  the  mission 
ground  where  his  thoughts  and  prayers  had  cen- 
tered since  the  day  of  his  appointment. 

Behind  him,— a  waste  of  waters;  before  him,— 
a  waste  of  men  I  Deep  in  the  heart  of  each  drop 
in  this  sea  of  humanity  he  knew  there  was  hidden 
a  rainbow  of  hope.  It  was  his  to  help  flash  upon 
men  the  quickening  sunlight  of  love. 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


Up  in  the  Orindelioald  valley  a  Bwiaa  moun- 
taineer, clad  in  Jiomeapun,  stands  all  day  long 
hlovAng  his  Alpine  horn.  It  is  a  simple  song; 
hut  a  great  cliff  catches  it,  and  flings  it  to 
another,  and  this  still  to  another,  until  the 
whole  valley  is  flooded  vnth  a  wonder  of  haunt- 
ing melody.  Weeks  after,  the  traveler  hears 
those  marvellous  strains  in  his  dreams.  And 
the  magic  is  not  in  the  horn,  nor  in  the  player; 
but  in  that  he  has  found  the  place  where  the 
mighty  hills  must  respond. 

Sometimes  to  a  great  soul  it  has  been  given 
to  find  that  magical  relation  to  the  hearts  of 
men — and  the  music  he  has  awakened  thrills 
and  lingers  unto  this  day. 


. 


M 


I 


AN  OUTPOST:  THE  FIRST  SKIRMISH 


WE  were  really  in  China  I  Cheerful  coolies 
carried  us  in  sedan  chairs  through  nar- 
row, jostling  market  streets  an*!  up  a 
long  flight  of  wet  stone  steps.  They  turned  into 
a  gateway  and  we  found  ourselves  in  a  **  com- 
pound," near  the  crest  of  a  long,  low  hill  over- 
looking the  river. 

This  was  the  Hill  of  Heavenly  Rest.  A  great 
Buddhist  temple  of  the  same  name  stands  near. 
From  our  window  we  look  down  to  the  Bridge  of 
Ten  Thousand  Ages,  with  its  massive  stone  beams 
and  piers,  stretching  like  a  dragon  across  the 
Min.  On  the  river,  myriad  busy  small  craft,  all 
of  the  same  pattern;  below  the  bridge  a  sullen 
fleet  of  junks,  anchored  as  if  for  all  time;  on 
the  bridge,  two  throbbing,  thronging  streams  of 
life  intent  on  getting  somewhere;  on  either  side 
of  the  river,  a  wilderness  of  roofs;  beyond  and 
fc  jove  all,  a  glory  of  eternal  hills. 

"  Compound  "  was  a  strange  new  word  to  us. 
In  meaning,  as  in  sound,  it  suggests  having  things 
in  common.  Within  the  walls  of  our  mission  com- 
pound we  found  four  well-built  two-story  houses 
with  airy  ceilings  and  broad  verandas.  In  those 
days  there  was  no  provision  for  flight  to  moun- 

88 


34 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


tain  or  shore  in  the  season  of  stifling  heat.  Al- 
ready the  hardships  of  the  first  few  years,  when 
only  Chinese  houses  were  available,  had  left  their 
record  where  you  can  read  it  to-day,  in  the  mission 
cemetery,  on  stones  inscribed  to  young  wives. 
We  found  four  families  in  the  mission,  and  with 
one  of  them  we  made  our  home. 

On  the  voyage  my  husband  had  improved  his 
time  and  learned  a  little  Chinese  with  the  help 
of  Dr.  Maclay.  Now  we  gave  ourselves  wholly 
to  study.  I  was  ambitious  to  get  on  as  fast  as 
my  husband.  There  were  no  helps  to  elucidate 
the  maze  of  hieroglyphics.  We  had  Morrison's 
dictionary,  but  that  gave  little  or  no  aid  to  a 
beginner.  We  were  advised  to  start  in  by  read- 
ing the  Gospel  of  John.  Our  Chinese  teacher 
sat  at  one  end  of  our  study  table,  my  husband 
at  one  side,  I  at  the  other.  The  teacher  did  not 
understand  a  word  of  English,  nor  we  a  word  of 
Chinese.  Each  had  a  Chinese  Gospel  of  John 
before  him;  the  teacher,  in  a  loud,  full  voice, 
articulated  the  sound  of  the  first  character  in 
the  first  verse.  We  repeated  it  after  him,  but 
by  the  shake  of  his  wise  head  we  knew  our  pro- 
nunciation wa3  not  satisfactory.  After  we  had 
been  digging  laboriously  for  a  few  days,  Mr. 
Gibson  came  in  one  morning  and  found  us  hard 
at  it.  Mr.  Sites  fired  a  few  questions  at  him 
about  singular  and  plural  nouns  and  about  gen- 
ders and  other  grammatical  constructions. 

"  Never  mind  about  those  things,"  he  said 
with  a  hearty  laugh. 


AN  OUTPOST:  THE  FOST  SKIRMISH     35 

**  But  how  shall  we  ever  make  these  sounds 
mean  anything?  "  we  asked. 

**  Just  keep  on  as  you  are  doing,"  he  answered, 
"  and  the  meaning  wUl  come  to  you  by  and  by." 

How  provoking  1  I  was  fairly  ready  to  cry, 
as  he  went  out.  Mr.  Gibson  had  been  studying 
several  years,  and  was  able  to  preach  I  But  I 
caught  a  cheery  light  in  my  husband's  face  as  he 
exclaimed,  with  a  ring  of  victory  in  his  voice : 

"  We  came  to  China  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
we  are  going  to  do  iti  " 

As  the  months  went  on  and  we  began  to  rec- 
ognize a  few  words  as  having  some  meaning, 
each  of  us  was  eager  not  to  be  outdone  by  the 
other.  The  first  work  assigned  to  me  was  the 
charge  of  the  orphans,  in  a  small  building  on  the 
comer  of  the  mission  compound.  Every  morning 
after  breakfast  I  went  over  to  administer  soap 
and  water,  or  perhaps  a  poultice,  to  the  tiny 
bodies  which  had  been  given  such  an  unfair  start 
in  life.  My  husband  used  the  same  hour  for  a 
little  run  down  to  the  Long  Bridge,  where  from 
the  passing  throngs  some  men  stopped  to  look 
at  the  stranger  and  the  books  he  had  brought. 
When  he  came  'oack,  exulting  in  a  new  phrase  he 
had  caught  from  the  crowd,  I  would  answer  by 
flaunting  a  few  words  learned  from  the  old  women 
who  nursed  the  babies.  So  we  passed  our  first 
year,  in  a  vigorous  encounter  with  the  **  plain 
speech,"  not  knowing  what  special  work  lay  be- 
fore us. 

Now  there  was  talk  in  the  mission  of  making 


36 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


a  new  venture— an  advance  into  the  regions  be- 
yond. It  was  thought  it  might  be  for  the  further- 
ance of  the  work  if  one  of  the  families  should 
move  out  twelve  miles  to  a  Chinese  village  where 
there  were  eight  or  ten  Christians.  All  our  Chris- 
tians at  that  time  numbered  less  than  one  hun- 
dred, and  only  six  or  seven  men  were  being  taught 
to  become  helpers. 

Near  by  this  central  village  were  scores  of 
other  places,  large  and  small,  where  there  were 
no  Christians  and  no  knowledge  of  the  purpose 
for  which  missionaries  had  come  to  China.  I  felt 
sure  that  to  get  into  such  work  was  an  opportunity 
in  which  Mr.  Sites  would  rejoice.  But  down  in 
my  heart  I  felt  confident  our  Superintendent 
would  not  ask  us  to  go,  for  had  we  not  just  como 
into  possession  of  our  first  wee  baby?  And  did 
not  croup  and  measles  and  sore  eyes  and  scarlet 
fever,  and  all  those  cruel  ailments,  wait  in  Chi- 
nese villages  to  lay  hold  on  babies!  No  physician 
would  be  within  call,  and  there  would  be  no  means 
of  communication  with  Foochow  except  by  a  Chi- 
nese rowboat  on  the  Min,  or  a  special  messenger 
sent  on  foot  the  long  twelve  miles.  No,  surely 
we  would  not  be  sent ! 

But  the  appointment  did  fall  to  Mr.  Sites ;  and 
with  the  courage  of  yon'  and  inexperience 
mingled  with  some  dread,  we  started  up  river  on 
the  favoring  tide,  for  our  new  home  and  new 
undertaking. 

A  printed  item  from  the  mission  Superintend- 
ent's letter  of  that  time  said,  "  Mr.  Sites  expects 


I 


AN  OUTPOST:  THE  FIRST  SKIRMISH     37 

to  start  to  Oxvale  with  his  family,  on  Sat  .rday. 
Ho  is  admirably  qualified  for  his  new  field  of 
usefulness,  and  they  go  with  cheerful  hearts. 
This  enterprise  indicates  real  progress  in  the 
work  of  evangelizing  China,  and  if  successful  wUl 
be  the  initiation  of  similar  movements  elsewhere.*' 

The  little  village  stood  three  miles  back  from 
our  landing  point  on  the  Min.  A  crowd  quickly 
assembled  as  we  came  ashore— to  welcome  us, 
shall  I  sayt  No;  to  see  the  rare  sight,  a  foreign 
woman  with  her  little  white  baby. 

The  crowd  increased,  encircled  us,  became 
dense.  All  too  soon  to  satisfy  their  curiosity, 
my  husband  hurried  Baby  and  me  into  a  sedan 
chair,  the  coolies  picked  it  up,  and  we  were 
whisked  off  over  the  main  highway,  a  beaten 
path  one  foot  wide,  which  wound  about  between 
small,  garden-patch  rice  fields.  It  was  just  after 
the  season  of  planting  and  the  Treen  blades  were 
up  a  few  inches  out  of  the  deep  mud,  and  inun- 
dated with  flowing  water  from  irrigation  ditches. 

Into  this  morass  I  knew  a  misstep  would  land 
me  and  my  precious  baby.  I  held  my  breath  and 
a  tight  grip  as  I  watched  my  bearers'  nimble  feet. 
I  did  not  then  know,  as  I  learned  later,  how  sure- 
footed these  chair-bearers  were  and  how  fully 
they  could  be  depended  on. 

Across  the  valley  on  a  slight  elevation  there 
stood  and  still  stands  a  wide-spreading  banyan, 
offering  grateful  shade.  From  this  point  we  had 
a  view  of  our  little  chapel  beyond  a  fartl^er  val- 
ley.  A  few  minutes  later  my  sedan  was  put  down 


38 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


at  the  door,  and  I  took  a  swift  and  eager  survey 
of  our  new  home. 

It  was  a  low  building  with  mud  walls ;  the  large 
central  room  was  the  chapel,  with  a  floor  of  hard 
dry  beaten  mud.  Our  sitting-room  and  bedroom 
was  on  one  side,  the  dining-room  and  study  on 
the  other;  and  into  these  rooms  Mr.  Sites  on  a 
previous  trip  had  put  board  floors. 

The  village  people  gradually  gathered  in  to  see 
and  greet  us.  I  scanned  the  women's  faces  as 
eagerly  as  they  scanned  mine.  Among  them  all 
there  was  no  familiar  face.  Here  was  the  place 
that  was  to  be  home  to  us  for  the  next  three  years  I 


Our  first  year  of  village  life  was  well  advanced. 
It  had  been  a  busy  year,  with  many  interests  ab- 
sorbing time  and  thought.  Mr.  Sites  was  still 
studying  hard  at  the  language.  But  when  on  the 
programme  of  our  approaching  annual  meeting, 
as  drafted  by  the  brethren  in  Foochow,  I  saw  the 
name  **  Nathan  Sites  "  set  down  for  the  '*  Con- 
ference sermon,"  I  was  in  dismay.  It  seemed 
like  mockery  that  older  missionaries  should  pre- 
sume to  put  so  heavy  a  responsibility  on  him. 

**  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  iti  "  I  asked. 

**  Do  about  it?  "  he  answered.  "  Why,  prepare 
it,  of  course." 

He  set  to  work,  wrote  the  sermon  in  English, 
then  dictated  it  to  his  teacher,  sentence  by  sen- 
tence, in  the  best  Chinese  he  could  command ;  and 
the  teacher  revised  it,  supplying  here  an  apter 
term  and  there  the  proper  id&om.    This  was  not 


AN  OUTPOST:  THE  FIRST  SKIRMISH     39 

done  in  a  day,  nor  several  days.  It  was  worked 
over  and  improved,  prayed  ov  ad  re-written 
and  studied,  until  I  took  coui  and  began  to 
feel  it  was  bound  to  be-  j     access. 

Wher  the  time  for  this  Annual  Meeting  arrived, 
in  the  fall  of  *63,  we  closed  our  little  house  for 
a  month  and  went  to  Foochow. 

The  Mission  had  no  ordained  native  preachers, 
and  the  missionaries  held  their  ministerial  rela- 
tions in  America,  so  we  called  this  an  ♦'  Annual 
Meeting,"  with  the  Superintendent  presiding. 
All  the  native  assistants  were  present,  with  the 
missionaries  and  their  wives,  besidew  a  number 
of  our  ♦*  American  Board  "  friends. 

The  evening  for  Mr.  Sites'  sermon  came.    He 
proceeded  with  the  opening  exercises.    We  had 
no  trepidation  about  that  part,  for  he  had  been 
able  to  read  the    Scriptures  smoothly  for  many 
months ;  he  was  fluent  in  prayer,  and  the  rhythm 
of  hymns  in  these  queer  sounds  was  a  delight  to 
his  musical  ear.    But  when  he  opened  the  Bible 
and  read  his  Chinese  text,  "  Ye  shall  receive 
power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me,"  my 
heart  thumped  in  terror.    But  it  was  only  for  a 
moment,  as  I  shut  my  eyes  and  prayed.    He  had 
discarded  his  manuscript,  and  had  only  a  few 
notes  on  a  small  leaf  of  paper.    Would  he  hesitate 
and  would  those  thoughts  all  in  Chinese  get  con- 
fused and  bring  embarrassment  and  failure!    He 
had  not  spoken  a  minute  before  I  knew  that  God 
on  whom  he  relied  was  with  him  and  speaking 


40 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


through  him.  In  his  closing  words  he  reminded 
us  that  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  disciples,  like 
ourselves,  numbered  only  a  few  tens,  and  the 
apostles  but  twelve.  To  them  Christ  said,  '*  Go 
teadi  all  nations  ";  so  speaks  He  also  to  us. 

When  the  doxology  had  been  sung  and  the  ben- 
ediction pronounced,  all  gathered  lovingly  about 
the  speaker  in  congratulation  and  with  words  of 
hearty  appreciation.  From  that  time  onward  his 
reputation  as  a  smooth  speaker  of  the  language 
grew.  As  his  vocabulary  increased,  and  his  grasp 
of  Chinese  idioms  widened,  it  was  said  of  him 
that  to  hear  his  voice,  not  seeing  the  speaker,  one 
would  suppose  a  Chinese  was  speaking. 

The  recruit  had  fought  his  first  set  battle,  the 
battle  with  the  language,  and  had  won. 


Unspoiled  Human  Xaturc. 


VI 


ENLISTMENTS 


A  LL  the  time  at  Oxvale,  Mr.  Sites  was  study- 
/\  ing  Chinese  character  of  a  sort  not  found 
in  books. 

In  the  hill  villages  back  of  ours  he  found 
the  endless  interest  of  unspoiled  human  nature, — 
unspoiled,  at  least,  by  contact  with  tne  outer 
world.  Mrrnings,  the  seance  with  the  teacher, 
aftemo'-':.  !  .'eaching  in  the  unexplored  villages 
— this  If  jlness  of  life.  Not  a  path  but  led 
to  a  su/'-  e;  not  a  greeting  but  brought  some 
new  freshness  into  life,  at  least  for  the  apostle 
and  doubtless  also  for  the  house  upon  which  he 
pronounced  '*  peace." 

In  one  of  these  excursions  he  came  to  a  village 
where  lived  a  young  teacher  of  whom  he  had 
already  heard.  It  was  only  a  handful  of  village 
boys  the  pedagogue  had  in  his  school,  each  one 
singing  at  the  top  of  his  voice  the  lessons  to  be 
memorized,  as  every  one  must  who  wishes  to 
know  the  Confucian  classics.  On  set  days  he  led 
his  pupils  in  performing  prostrations  before  the 
tablet  of  the  Great  Sage.  There  was  something 
in  this  teacher's  bearing,  however,  which  showed 
that  he  was  not  mastered  by  his  circumstances; 

41 


42 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


one  might  guess  that  Buddha's  answer  to  the 
riddle  of  life  was  not  satisfying  to  him. 

From  the  first  the  two  men  were  attracted  to 
each  other.  There  was  a  return  visit,  then  an 
interchange  of  polite  tokens,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  Confucianist  found  himself  the  pos- 
sessor of  an  attractive  book  called  the  **  Holy 
Classic  "  which  he  had  never  seen  before,  telling 
of  a  Greater  than  Confucius.  We  had  a  little 
school  of  our  own  at  that  time,  a  group  of  village 
boys  and  girls  whom  i  had  gathered  into  the 
chapel  six  days  a  week  for  study,  td  well  as  on 
Sunday  for  Sabbath  school.  We  lacked  a  good 
teacher  for  the  Chinese  classics;  we  invited  the 
Confucianist,  and  he  accepted. 

Some  days  Mr.  Sites  was  away  on  all-day 
preaching  tours.  I  recall  the  embarrassment 
which  I  felt  when  I  conducted  morning  prayers, 
in  my  imperfect  Chinese,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Confucian  scholar.  But  before  long  it  was  evi- 
dent that  we  had  in  him  a  devout  student  of  the 
Word.  He  was  reading  his  new  Classic  daily. 
He  soon  became  convinced  of  the  error  of  idol- 
atry and  then  convicted  of  his  own  sins. 

Before  the  end  of  the  year  he  resolved  to  run 
away  from  his  convictions.  He  resigned  his  posi- 
tion and  took  a  school  in  a  village  six  miles  off. 
He  still  read  his  Bible  and  often  on  Sundays 
would  dismiss  his  school  and  walk  over  to  our 
services.  One  Sunday  morning  he  arose  in  our 
little  chapel  and  confessed  his  faith  in  Christ. 

Well  do  I  remember  the  joy  of  the  Sunday  even- 


ENLISTMENTS 


43 


ing  a  few  weeks  later,  when  Mr.  Sites,  returning 
from  a  quarterly  meeting,  told  me  he  had  that 
day  baptized,  with  others,  onr  Confucian  teacher. 

This  man  wa^  Sia  Sek  Ong.  Thenceforth  his 
life  grew  in  grace  and  power,  and,  like  the  domi- 
nant motive  in  a  symphony,  became  ever  clearer 
and  stronger  and  richer  in  its  influence  upon  the 
life  of  the  native  church. 

Mr.  Sia  immediately  began  preaching,  in  a 
modest  way,  often  going  out  with  Mr.  Sites  on 
his  evangelistic  tours.  On  Sundays  they  would 
visit  nearby  villages  where  Christians  lived,  to 
give  instruction  in  the  Bible,  especially  teaching 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  as  necessary  for 
growth  in  Christian  character.  Gradually  the 
household  meetings  developed  into  a  village 
church,  and  this  in  turn  became  a  light  which 
shone  to  other  villages. 

Among  the  little  group  of  Christians  whom  we 
had  found  at  Oxvale  were  two  brothers,  black- 
smiths, named  Lee.  One  of  them  became  gen- 
erally known  as  **  the  Converted  Blacksmith." 
He  had  a  love  for  books  and  a  mighty  thirst  for 
knowledge  of  God.  He  used  to  keep  his  Bible 
open  on  his  anvil  so  that  he  might  study  in  th<k 
intervals  of  his  work. 

Mr.  Sites  improved  with  zeal  and  energy  every 
opportunity  to  advance  him  in  a  course  of  theo- 
logical studies,  securing  for  him  the  most  desir- 
able books  printed  in  Chinese.  Mr.  Lee's  influ- 
ence on  Mr.  Sia,  when  the  teacher  was  seeking 
for  light,  was  most  helpful  and  illuminating.    At 


44  THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 

the  same  time  his  own  spiritual  life  deepened  and 
his  sermons  won  men  from  their  idols  to  Christ. 
Both  Lee  and  Sia  were  to  become  the  mission- 
ary's comrades  in  many  a  hard  campaign  in  after 
years,  all  up  and  down  the  Min  valley. 

In  our  early  life  in  Oxvale,  before  these  longer 
tours  commenced,  Mr.  Sites  always  planned  to 
be  at  home  nights.    Now  we  had  become  accus- 
tomed to  our  new  environment  and  I  had  learned 
to  love  and  trust  the  people.    Mr.  Sites  went  out 
one  morning  with  his  Chinese  comrades  to  certam 
villages  some  distance  away.    The  day  passed 
and  at  dusk  a  messenger  brought  me  a  note  from 
him,  saying  he  found  it  would  be  difficult  to  get 
back  that  night;  moreover,  many  of  the  villagers, 
who  were  mostly  farmers,  had  time  to  hear  preach- 
ing only  in  the  evening,  so  it  seemed  best  that 
he  should  stay  over  night.    There  was  to  be  a 
large  meeting  in  a  temple,  where  there  would  be 
good  opportunity  to  preach.    This  was  the  first 
of  many  nights  Baby  Belle  and  I  spent  alone  in 
our  little  home,  and  no  harm  came  to  us. 

The  experience  of  one  such  night,  however,  is 
burned  in  upon  my  memory.  It  was  Saturday. 
My  husband  was  going  to  hold  all-day  services 
on  Sunday  at  a  village  some  miles  away.  As 
he  started  up  the  valley  I  walked  with  him  half 
a  mile  or  so.  When  I  turned  back  he  looked  up 
at  the  sky  and  remarked,  "  Those  look  like  ty- 
phoon clouds.  I  hope  there  may  not  be  a  blow 
while  I  am  gone  I  " 


ENLISTMENTS 


45 


We  did  not  apprehend  any  severe  storm.  But 
about  snnset,  the  wind  arose,  coming  in  frequent 
blasts,  each  more  furious  than  the  one  before. 
I  knew  my  husband  would  by  that  time  have 
reached  the  shelter  of  the  village  homes  huddled 
safely  in  the  lee  of  banks  and  boulders.  But  we 
— our  baby  and  I — ^had  only  the  pounded  earthen 
walls  of  the  chapel  on  the  ^r;oll,  apart  from  the 
village  houses. 

All  that  night  and  all  day  Sunday  the  wind 
blew  as  a  typhoon  wind  will ;  it  lulls  for  a  minute 
or  two,  then  rises  again  with  terrific  force.  At 
dark  the  rain  began  to  fall;  all  night  long  it 
poured,  and  was  driven  in  pelting  torrents  against 
our  walls  and  roof. 

Soon  a  great  block  of  earth  fell  off  the  front 
comer  of  the  house,  with  a  shock  that  sounded  as 
if  the  whole  house  were  falling.  There  was  a  little 
arched  doorway  between  my  bedroom  and  the 
chapel,  which  looked  as  if  it  might  bo  the  safest 
spot.  As  I  heard  the  rumble  of  each  new  onset 
of  the  storm  I  would  snatch  up  my  baby  and 
stand  trembling  under  this  little  arch  until  its 
fury  was  spent. 

Thus  the  midnight  passed  with  ominous  sounds, 
now  and  then,  of  falling  sections  of  the  outer  wall ; 
again  the  crash  of  a  tree  uprooted;  and  always 
the  increasing  roar  of  the  torrent  in  the  ravine 
near  by. 

Monday  morning  dawned  calm  and  bright  with 
smiling  sunshine  as  if  in  mockery  of  the  havoc 
that  had  been  wrought.    Mr.  Sites  was  with  us 


ii 


46 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


in  a  few  hours — as  soon  as  he  could  make  his 
way  over  the  obstacles  the  storm  had  interposed. 

There  was  a  flutter  of  preparation  one  day  in 
my  modest  kitchen.  I  was  getting  ready  for  a 
guest, — and  entertaining  was  no  simple  matter  in 
those  days  I  Everything  edible  had  to  come  from 
Foochow  by  messenger ;  and  when  it  came  it  was 
by  no  means  sure  to  be  what  we  had  sent  for. 
Chdce  we  despatched  a  man  post  haste  for  medicuie 
and  when  he  came  back  the  bottle  was  broken  1 

And  now  a  Bishop  was  coming  1  And,  of  all 
men,  this  one.  Thomson,  the  beloved  college  pres- 
ident, now  lately  consecrated  to  the  office  of 
Bishop,  was  making  the  first  Methodist  Episcopal 
visitation  to  the  Far  East.  It  was  a  time  of  high 
council  for  the  missionaries  and  the  infant  church 
at  Foochow.  Already  a  considerable  force  of 
native  helpers  had  been  developed,  but  not  even 
then  was  it  deemed  best  that  any  should  be 
ordained. 

The  old  president  must  needs  get  out  on  the 
firing  line,  for  a  day  or  two  with  his  old  pupil. 
Coming  from  home  via  Suez,  he  had  seen  Scott 
in  India — Scott  who  in  college  was  always  talk- 
ing China.  Now  Lowry  and  Plumb  and  other  re- 
cruits were  in  training,  soon  to  come  to  the  field. 
Our  little  living-room  at  Oxvale  became  mellow 
with  old  memories  and  radiant  with  new  visions. 
The  "  first  recruit "  reported  beginnings  made, 
and  his  plan  of  campaign.  The  Bishop  met  the 
Confucian  scholar  and  the  doughty  blacksmith. 


ENLISTMENTS 


47 


Perhaps  he  saw  in  vision  a  day  when  the  former 
devotee  of  Confucins  was  to  represent  ^hina  in 
a  great  General  Conference  in  America  and  lay 
his  hands  in  consecration  on  the  head  of  an  Amer- 
ican Bishop  in  the  Church  of  the  Living  God. 
He  mused,  and  then  his  eye  flashed  with  the  old 
prophetic  fire: 

"  I  think,  my  hoy,"  said  Thomson,  *'  we  have 
begun  to  take  the  world." 


■«*»• 


vn 

EECONNOrrBIN& 

THKBE  was  bustle  and  shouting  in  the  court- 
vard  of  Wong  Castle,  on  Clearwater.    The 
Cr  warnea'r  sunset,  and  a  little  band  o 
scholarly  l«.king  gentlemen  had  j"?'^  »J 
the  door:  scholarly  looking,  yes,  all  but  o"*-  ^e 
*a,  e^dUy  a  foreigner  and  wore  an  outland  sh 
short  coat.    Still,  he  had  a  kmdly  look  m  h.s  btae 
eves  and  he  spoke  the  common  speeehl    So  tne 
m»Cat  off  the  barking  dogs,  the  women  calmed 
ThX  c^ing  babies,  and  tiie  »tranger»  -re  m- 
^it«.l  to  come  in,  be  seated  md  dnnk  tea. 

ney  ^«  a  ^rond  clan,  Ae  Wongs.    Beh^een 
th«n  Ld  the  I^n  clan  of  the  same  Sixth  Town- 
aUWHage,  there  was  always  rivalry  and  soine- 
toesleud.  Their  castle  was  a  great  caravansary. 
S:  of  large  houses,  in  fact,  with  narrow  open 
courts  between,  the  whoe  f  "'"'^^  J**"  ?^^ 
mud  walls.    There  they  lived,  three  »' «»"J^ 
dred  of  tiiem.  patriarchs,  infante  and  all  de^ees 
of  consins.  shut  in  from  robbers  and,  seemingly. 

"'CTher-wU":;ound.  young  men  and 
Jrl  and  childre",  and  plied  the  blue-eyed^ 
brWihaired  stranger  with  questions,  just  to 


i* 

13 

'* 
U 

c 


fi 


BECONNOITBINO 


49 


r 


hear  him  use  their  lingo.  He,  on  hi8  i>art^  entered 
cheerily  into  the  spirit  of  the  play  and.  Making 
the  chief  of  the  clan  hit  down  besi^i^  hi^  was 
soon  on  the  footing  of  a  familiar  frieiid.  ^  tougb 
there  was  no  preaching',  it  soon  came  out  that 
these  visitors  «rere  boarers  of  good  doctrine. 
Their  doctrine  might  b<'  heard  of  later;  enongh 
now  that  they  were  men  ot*  friendly  spirit  and 
culture. 

**  Here,  Lead-n-little-brother,"  calls  the  old 
man  to  a  boy,  "  u»ll  your  mother  to  prepare  the 
guest  room.  These  teachers  must  lodg*  here  for 
the  night." 


The  district  city  of  Clearwater  vas  "-toss  the 
river  from  Oxvale  and  thirty  miles  above,  ^t 
is  the  &rat  burg  with  walls  one  comes  to  in  going 
up  the  riv#>r  from  Foochow. 

It  seemed  to  the  pionet  rs  a  ciiallenge  to  con- 
quest, like  the  fenced  cities  of  Canaan  to  Jo-  la. 
Like  priests  and  Leviies  at  Jericho,  this  little 
band  of  preachers  had  made  the  circuit  c  tae 
city  more  than  once,  not  liowever  outside  the  wall 
but  on  it.  and  with  no  '  'are  of  trumpets,  but  se*  - 
'Og  the  best  site  for  a  chapel.  leanwhile  tl.  / 
preached  on  the  streits  ant.  wherever  thev  were 
nvit*»d  to  enter,  whether  in  templeo  or  m  private 
hou8*\s.  Finally,  in  spite  of  what  seemed  insur- 
mo  atable  diflSeulties,  they  secured  a  small  house 
and  left  a  Christian  young  man,  whom  thfv  had 
take  a  with  them  from  Oxvi  e,  to  sell  books  u^d 
tell  of  Jesus  and  the  Chri^  ian  religion  to  any 


■'*'^*-,'**^--.'^- 


50 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


who  would  hear.  The  party  had  then  pushed  on 
by  rat-boat  up  Clearwater  Creek  to  bring  their 
message  to  the  more  open-minded  villages. 

This  creek  is  a  rocky  run,  like  many  another 
in  the  Min  basin,  rushing  down  transverse  valleys 
to  the  river.  The  Chinese  call  it  and  the  whole 
district  Minchiang,  "  Min-Clear."  Up  along 
these  natural  avenues  or  following  the  highway 
over  the  hills  the  gospel  message  was  beginning 
to  go  to  the  homes  and  hearts  of  tue  people. 

Teacher  Sia  and  the  blacksmith  did  valiant 
service  on  this  campaign.  They  were  trying  out 
the  weapons  of  their  warfare.  The  chief  gains 
immediately  apparent  were  the  larger  faith  and 
firmer  purpose  manifest  in  the  young  preachers 
themselves.  But  an  entrance  had  been  made  into 
a  district  in  which  almost  every  considerable  vil- 
lage now  has  its  chapel,  and  out  of  which  have 
since  come  scores  of  Christian  workers, — 
preachers,  teachers,  doctors, — to  serve  in  other 
parts  of  the  province  and  in  the  greater  China 
of  the  Southern  Seas. 


i 


g 


vm 


THE  OLDFIELD  TRAIL 

IT  was  April,  the  season  of  rain;  not  showers, 
but  steady  downpour.  That  was  unfortunate, 
— ^but  to  wait  for  summer  heat  would  be  worse 
yet.  The  missionary  had  arranged  with  a  col- 
league in  Foochow  to  explore  the  next  district, 
Oldfield— or,  as  the  Chinese  call  it,  Kucheng^ 
opposite  Clearwater  but  further  up  the  river. 
They  would  take  with  them  the  converted  black- 
smith and  another  young  student  preacher  named 
Pang,  whom  Teacher  Sia  had  been  training. 

This  campaign  was  more  ambitious  than  the 
preceding.  Mr.  Sites  had  compiled  a  map,  chiefly 
from  native  data,  and  was  planning,  with  the  ap- 
proval of  his  brethren  in  Foochow,  a  steady  ad- 
vance upon  strategic  centres. 

Some  missionaries  are  bom  to  be  administra- 
tors, some  to  be  teachers,  some  to  be  autho-s. 
Others  are  out-and-out  evangelists.  **  God  ^ent 
me,"  they  say,  **  to  preach  the  gospel."  Their 
joy  is  to  get  out  among  men,  where,  in  desert 
regions  of  the  soul,  they  may  see  the  first  up- 
springings  of  the  garden  of  the  Lord. 

The  time,  the  place,  and  his  own  personality 
conspired  to  make  Nathan  Sites  pre-eminent  as 


52 


THE  IJTVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


an  evangelist.  Zeal  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
and  zest  for  new  discoveries  were  always  pushing 
iiim  on.  He  would  not  be  content  until  he  had 
mastered  that  next  mountain.  He  would  not  rest 
until  he  had  won  the  friendship  of  that  next  man, 
and  brought  to  him  a  Friend. 

When  Mr.  Sites  was  away  on  these  trips  he 
regularly  wrote  journal  letters,  recording  the 
events  of  the  day.  In  those  early  days  there  was 
no  postal  system,  but  my  bunch  of  daily  letters 
was  sent  by  mesjenger  whenever  opportunity 
offered,  sometimes  at  intervals  of  a  week  or  more. 
Now  those  old  faded  letters  shall  tell  their  own 
story  so  far  as  they  may. 

The  party  started  in  two  little  boats,  well 
stocked  with  books  for  sale,  and  an  auxiliary 
supply  of  our  foreign  food.  This  required  burden 
bearers  and  altogether  made  a  lengthy  retinue. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  second  day,  rains  poured 
and  fierce  winds  so  rocked  the  little  boats  that 
it  was  decided,  as  night  came  on,  to  go  ashore, 
stop  in  a  village  and  try  to  find  an  inn  where 
they  might  sleep  for  the  night.  But  as  fast  as 
the  men  attempted  to  light  their  lanterns,  their 
matches  were  blown  out.  Finally  by  taking  shel- 
ter behind  a  little  hillock,  they  managed  to  secure 
a  light,  and  then  followed  a  path  by  the  riverside 
until  they  came  to  a  hamlet  and  found  an 
inn.  Alas! — continues  the  Journal — it  was  too 
crowded  and  unsanitary  for  an  American.  Mr. 
Martin  and  I  immediately  returned  to  the  boat, 
which  was  tied  up  to  the  bank,  and  floundering 


i. 


THE  OLDFIELD  TRAIL 


53 


in  the  rough  water.  Our  bed  was  soon  spread. 
Mr.  Martin  at  once  opened  his  little  Bible,  and 
found  his  evening  lesson.  He  read  on  and  on 
about  Moses  and  Aaron  and  his  sons,  the  coats 
and  girdles,  and  about  the  rams  and  the  bul- 
locks. ...  I  did  not  hear  more.  I  had  leaned 
my  head  on  the  pillow  and  fallen  asleep.  Later 
I  asked  Mr.  Martin  tcy  forgive  me.  I  believed  the 
Lord  would,  for  He  loved  mercy  more  than  sac- 
rifice. 

Next  morning  the  rain  had  ceased  and  a  light 
breeze  carried  us  slowly  onward.  About  dark  we 
arrived  at  Watermouth,  the  limit  of  our  boat 
travel,  at  exactly  the  time  we  had  planned,  in 
spite  of  rain,  head  winds,  flooded  river  and  un- 
willing boatmen.  We  had  still  to  travel  some 
forty  miles  overland  to  reach  the  district  city. 

In  the  morning  we  were  off  with  much  commo- 
tion and  a  war  of  words  among  the  coolies  as 
they  equalized  their  loads  with  the  precision  of 
a  court  of  justice.  Our  way  led  up,  up,  up,  over 
the  river-front  cliffs,  then  down  and  along  the 
bank  of  the  little  Oldfield  River.  At  nine  o'clock 
we  stopped  for  breakfast  at  a  wayside  inn. 

"  Have  you  rice  ready  cooked?  "  I  asked  the 
landlord. 

"  Oh,  yes;  here  it  is,"  he  said. 

I  lifted  the  lid  and  peeped  into  a  half-bushel 
rice  basket.  Yes,  there  it  was;  red,  coarse  and 
dingy  looking  enough.  It  was  the  cheaper  red 
rice  that  is  used  in  all  these  mountain  inns,  and 
we  were  satisfied  to  try  it.    Our  boy  cook  took 


"■".  '.'JJiPif-    91 


54  THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 

hold  bravely,  and  with  a  remnant  of  cold  chicken, 
left  from  our  last  meal  on  the  boat,  he  soon  pre- 
pared a  dish  of  hot  curry;  this,  with  the  unsightly 
red  rice,  made  Mr.  Martin  and  me  a  satisfactory 
breakfast.  While  some  of  us  were  still  break- 
fasting, Mr.  Lee,  of  his  own  suggestion,  stepped 
forward  and  began  preaching  to  the  crowd  that 
had  gathered  to  look  at  us.  We  lingered,  for 
Mr.  Pang  had  come  forward  and  followed  Mr.  Lee 
with  an  earnest  exhortation  to  an  interested 
audience.  ^      .  . 

As  we  pushed  on,  the  scenery  became  inspiring 
and  we  made  the  hills  and  rocks  echo  with  familiar 
songs.  That  night  we  slept  in  a  wayside  inn,  all 
undisturbed  save  by  the  music  of  the  wild  waters 
in  the  little  river,  a  hundred  feet  below  our  win- 
dow. The  ceaseless  tumbling  and  roaring  of  the 
water  was  a  constant  lullaby. 

The  road  we  then  were  traveling  is  a  great 
thoroughfare  from  the  Min  to  inland  cities.  It 
is  four  or  five  feet  wide,  laid  with  stone  all  the 
way.  It  mounts  the  ridges  with  well-made  stone 
steps.  Wheel  traffic  would  be  impossible  on  such 
a  road.  There  are  no  horses,  of  course;  as  for 
the  water-buffalo,  it  is  used  only  in  mill  and 
plough;  so  the  merchandise  which  keeps  the  road 
busy  is  all  slung  from  springy  bamboo  poles  on 
the  shoulders  of  men  and  women. 

Here  the  road  crosses  a  beautiful  bridge  of 
etone,  a  sin^e  arch  forming  nearly  a  perfect 
circle.  Yonder  a  wooden  bridge,  the  finest  I  have 
seen  in  China,  spans  the  Oldfieid  Si^er.    It  is 


a. 
it 


e 

■A  2 

SB 


il 


o 


A  water-buffalo  preporing  the  rice  fields 


Tile  merchandise  is  slung 

from   springy  bamboo  poles. 


THE  OLDFIELD  TBAIL 


55 


about  four  hundred  feet  long,  with  substantial 
plank  floor,  well  roofed  and  railed  in,  and  sup- 
ported on  three  superb  piers  of  masonry  resting 
on  natural  bouMers. 

Our  way  trends  steadily  upward.  Innumerable 
rapids  and  one  superbly  thundering  cataract  in 
the  little  river,  as  we  follow  it  up,  prove  that 
we  are  mounting  a  plateau  far  above  the  level 
of  Foochow. 

Arriving  at  Oldfield  City  we  were  assigned,  by 
the  officials,  to  quarters  in  an  old  temple,  un- 
furnished except  with  rows  of  life-sized  idols. 
There  was  a  large  central  hall  with  a  suite  of 
rooms  on  each  side.  "We  chose  the  cleaner  and 
better  looking  suite. 

**  Is  there  aught  else  the  teacher  would  wish!  " 
asked  our  attendants  from  the  Mandarin's  office. 

"  Yes,  if  you  please,  bedsteads,  tables,  chairs, 
water-jars,  cooking  utensils  and  all  such  neces- 
sities! " 

Then  such  consultations  and  calculations  as  they 
made  I  Meanwhile  crowds  of  people  thronged  in, 
filling  the  place  and  the  doorways. 

**  Would  the  teacher  be  so  considerate  as  to 
step  outside  and  let  the  people  look!  "  said  our 
guides  anxiously.  "  The  men  are  breaking  the 
paper  windows  and  harming  the  walls  and  doors.'* 

*'  Well  said,"  I  responded;  "  I  will  go  out,  as 
I  see  11; e  scrub-women  coming  in." 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  the  first  upon 
which  any  white  man  had  opened  his  eyes  in  this 
city.    I  awoke  at  five  o'clock.    Since  it  was  our 


56 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


! 


l! 


purpose  to  rent  a  place  for  a  chapel  here,  I  was 
eager  this  morning  to  get  ont  to  some  high  point 
for  a  view  of  ••  the  lay  of  the  land."    At  five- 
thirty  I  was  oflf;  the  night  watchman  closed  the 
door  behind  me,  for  all  were  still  asleep,  and  so 
the  city  seemed  to  be  also;  thus  I  effectively  es- 
caped the  crowds  of  yesterday.     I  struck  out, 
down  a  back  street  some  distance,  then  westward 
to  the  city  wall.    A  night  watchman  returning  to 
his  home  greeted  me  and  accompanied  me  to  the 
wall.    He  would  have  gone  farther,  but  I  kindly 
dismissed  him  and  walked  alone  on  the  wall 
around  the  four  sides  of  the  city,  with  its  nine 
gates.    I  estimated  its  circumference  to  be  about 
three  miles.   To  the  north  side  there  was  an  ascent 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  steps  and  on  the  wall 
here  a  fine  temple  where  I  found  two  devout  wor- 
shippers, bowing  before  the  idols.    I  stood  a  mo- 
ment and  they  turned  their  attention  to  me;  there- 
upon I  earnestly  told  them  of  God  and  of  Jesus, 
a  Saviour  from  sin. 

This  northwest  part  of  the  city  had  not  been 
built  upoD  but  is  cultivated  in  vegetable  gardens 
and  groves. 

The  Oldfield  River  runs  all  the  length  of  the 
east  side,  and  this  accounts  for  its  six  gates  lead- 
ing out  to  the  river,  from  each  of  which  ply  two 
ferryboats.  It  is  here  a  beautiful  smooth  flowing 
stream  a  hundred  yards  wide. 

About  ten  o'clock  people  began  to  come  to  our 
temple,  filling  the  hall  and  outer  court.  Our  at- 
tendants from  the  Mandarin's  office  kindly  re- 


i 


A  nice  warm  lircbasket. 

I 'am-  6,1 


M 


The  great  god    Budtl,  fifteen   feet 

high  and  overlaid  with  gol«l. 


THE  OLDFIELD  TRAIL 


67 


arranged  a  platform  which  had  lately  been  u-fed 
for  theatricals.  Chairs  were  brou^'bt ;  the  incense 
table,  aboQt  ten  feet  long,  was  moved  out  and 
placed  in  front  of  us.  For  a  hinkground  there 
was  the  permanent  platform  on  wiiich  w  re  m'iitod 
thirty  or  forty  idols  of  varying  size  Beck  of 
them  all,  on  a  massive  pedestal,  sat,  in  i  aim  (Vxn 
nity,  '♦  the  great  god,  Budd,"  fifteen  feet  high 
and  overlaid  with  gold.  Along  the  two  sides  of 
the  room  were  arranged  twenty-four  images,  each 
larger  than  a  man,  with  countenances  angry  or 
pleased,  fierce  or  gay,  meek  or  furious,  with 
clenched  fists  or  hands  clasped  in  devotion.  One 
with  staring  eyes  seemed  to  look  straight  at 
Brother  I/ee  as  he  preached  against  idolatry.  Be- 
sides these  occupants  there  was  still  space  for 
more  than  two  hundred  people  to  stand,  look  and 
listen,  as  they  did  in  silence,  while  one  after  the 
other  of  us  told  them  of  the  sinfulness  of  idolatry, 
and  of  the  true  God  and  a  Saviour  from  sin.  They 
readily  understood  the  idea  of  God;  but  had  no 
conception  of  salvation  from  sin. 

When  Mr.  Pang  wis  introduced,  the  surround- 
ings must  have  stirred  his  soul  within  him,  for, 
like  Paul  at  Athens,  he  cried,  **  Whom  therefore 
ye  ignorantly  worship.  Him  declare  I  unto  you," 
and  he  preached  unto  them  J<  'us  and  the  resur- 
rection. When  he  became  severe  on  the  folly  of 
worshipping  idols,  I  feared  some  of  the  older 
fathers  would  not  bear  it.  But  he  finished  with- 
out any  contention.  Then  I  arose  and  spoke  in  a 
conciliatory  way,  telling:  them  of  the  Saviour. 


58 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


I  had  marked,  stauding  in  the  crowd,  a  fine  look- 
ing, elderly  man.  I  had  watched  him  during  the 
preaching  against  the  fallacies  of  idolatry,  and  at 
times  I  feared  he  was  getting  angry.  He  had  now 
worked  his  way  up  near  the  front,  and  I  stepped 
down  to  meet  him.  He  smiled  as  I  approached. 
He  talked  understandingly ;  he  said  we  preached 
good  doctrine  but  it  was  not  suited  to  the  Chinese, 
for  they  could  not  follow  its  teachings.  I  told 
him  about  the  Sabbath  and  churches,  places  in 
which  to  teach  and  to  learn,  and  invited  him  to 
come  to  our  rooms.  He  seemed  pleased,  and  with 
quiet  courtesy,  as  we  parted,  bade  me  **  Walk 
slowly." 

Returning  from  an  afternoon  preaching  jaunt, 
we  were  near  our  lodgings  when,  there  in  his  own 
doorway,  we  saw  the  same  old  gentleman.  He 
greeted  us  cheerily: 

**  You  must  be  tired  and  thirsty.  Come  in  and 
rest  and  drink  tea." 

We  accepted,  and  talked  of  China's  good  tea 
and  hospitality  to  strangers. 

The  next  day  we  had  set  apart  to  see  houses 
and,  if  possible,  rent  a  place  for  a  chapel.  First 
we  called  on  our  friend  of  the  day  before.  He 
suggested  a  certain  part  of  the  city  where  were 
several  vacant  houses.  The  people  standing 
around  heard,  and  each  had  suggestions  to  offer 
of  houses  available.  We  found  some  of  them 
much  too  large,  some  old  and  broken  almost  be- 
yond repair,  and  the  price  of  others  unjustly 
high;  besides,  we  were  looking  for  an  attractive 


THE  OLDFIELD  TRAIL 


S9 


location.  Our  day's  search  determined  ns  on  a 
choice  between  two  places,  provided  we  could 
come  to  terms.  One  was  on  Great  Street,  the 
other  on  Cross  Street.  Great  Street  was  finally 
our  decision.  The  house  was  in  a  good  location, 
in  excellent  repair,  and  the  rental  moderate. 
With  the  help  of  our  kind  old  friend,  the  bargain 
was  closed,  papers  were  made  out,  with  official 
stamp  affixed  and  some  rent  was  paid  to  bind  the 
bargain. 

We  returned  to  Foochow  by  a  new  route  over 
the  mountains,  leaving  Mr.  Pang  in  the  chapel  to 
preach  and  teach,  and  a  Christian  brother,  who 
had  accompanied  us  as  a  burden  bearer,  to  help 
him,  under  the  name  of  chapel  keeper. 

The  Lord  had  indeed  been  with  us  and  pros- 
pered us  in  Kucheng,  and  we  left  behind  us  scores 
of  people  kindly  disposed  towards  us  and  our 
message  It  seemed  like  leaving  a  familiar  place, 
as  in  the  early  dawn  we  set  out  from  our  now 
quiet  temple. 


IX 


FOOTNOTES  ON  THE  OLDFIELD  TRAIL 

SIX  months  later,  a  bright  lookmg  young  man 
offered  himself  at  the  Foochow  church  for 
baptism.    He  told  a  dreary  tale  of  a  broken 
life,— sorrows  which  turned  him  to  opium,  and 
wretchedness  of  heart  which  could  find  no  relief; 
then  he  said: 

"  In  the  third  month,  you  and  Mr.  Martin  came 
to  Kucheng  with  words  and  songs  such  as  never 
before  had  reached  my  ears.  You  stood  on  that 
theatrical  stage,  and,  with  your  Bible  in  your 
hand,  you  said,  *  You  know  what  sin  is,  you  have 
felt  its  burden,  and  you  have  prayed  to  the  idols 
to  give  you  peace.  I  have  come  to  tell  you  of 
One,  Jesus,  who  says  right  now  to  you,  '*  Come 
unto  me,  and  I  will  give  you  rest  ";  and  "  There 
is  no  other  name  under  heaven  whereby  ye  must 
be  saved."  Then  you  looked  right  at  me,  and 
you  called  out: '  Cast  away  the  false,  and  receive 
the  true.' 

"  I  walked  away  down  the  street,  and  there 
kept  sounding  in  my  ears,  '  Cast  away  the  false, 
and  receive  the  true.* 

"  After  you  had  left  the  city,  I  went  daily  to 
the  chapel  you  had  rented,  to  argue  with  the 


FOOTNOTES  ON  OLDFIELD  TRAIL     61 

preacher,  becoming  ev^ry  day  more  and  more  in- 
terested and  convinced.  We  read  the  Bible  to- 
gether, and  I  went  home  only  to  eat  and  sleep. 
I  now  knew  I  must  give  up  opium.  Oh,  I  was 
so  miserable!  I  felt  that  I  must  stay  near  the 
preacher  and  perhaps  his  prayers  would  help  me. 

**  I  asked  Mr.  Pang,  *  Now,  that  opium  has 
such  a  hold  upon  me,  how  can  I  pxe  up  using 
itt '  He  said,  *  Go  and  pray  to  God;  when  you 
feel  the  craving  most,  go  into  that  little  room, 
fall  upon  your  knees  and  ask  the  Saviour  to  help 
you.' 

"  He  prayed  with  me  too,  and  encouraged  me, 
and  then  he  allowed  me  to  bring  my  bed  and  my 
rice  and  stay  there  with  him  all  the  time,  and 
thus  escape  much  temptation.  After  seven  weeks, 
given  to  studying  the  Bible,  and  much  prayer,  I 
was  perfectly  cured  and  have  had  no  desire  for 
opium  since.  When  any  one  asks  me  about  a  cure 
for  opium,  I  reply,  *  Only  Jesus  can  cure.  Go 
to  Him  in  believing  prayer.'  " 

Mr.  Diong  still  had  an  income  sufficient  to  feed 
and  clothe  him  and  he  was  determined  to  give  his 
entire  time  to  study,  and  to  telling  others  of  his 
wonderful  salvation.  His  ambition  was  to  pre- 
pare to  preach  the  gospel  to  others.  He  was  en- 
joying great  peace  of  mind  and  heart;  and  his 
bodily  appearance  was  restored  to  its  youthful 
vigor. 


Late  autunm  had  come,  the  ideal  season  for 
country  travel.    Said  Mr.  Sites  to  Teacher  Sia 


62 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


and  Brother  Lee:  **  Let  us  return  now  and  visit 
the  brethren  in  Oldfield  and  see  how  they  tare." 
So  they  set  forth  by  the  land  route,  that  in  going 
they  might  speak  the  word  in  other  villages  where 
it  had  never  yet  been  heard.    The  experience  of 
one  evening  on  this  road  afforded  a  perfect  pic- 
ture of  village  life  and  of  missionary  personality. 
Following  the  lead  of  our  load-carriers,— says 
the  Journal,— I  was  inside  an  inn  ahnost  before 
I  knew  it.    The  typical,  cluttered  rooms  I     One 
large,  common  bedroom!    Each  dirty  bed  occu- 
pied by  one  or  two  ghastly,  half-naked  opium 
fiends,  smoking  the  pipe  I    We  had  traveled  six- 
teen miles  on  foot  that  day,  and  crossed  two  high 
ndges  in  a  drizzling  rain.    I  was  footsore,  wet 
and  cold.    Involuntarily  I  prayed:  ♦'  O  Father, 
I  have  traveled  these  weary  miles,  to  make  known' 
the  riches  of  Thy  grace.    Spare  me  the  torture 
of  a  mght  in  this  deni  "   We  picked  up  our  traps 
and  moved  on. 

We  stumbled  ahead,  many  people  following  and 
asking  rude  questions.  On  the  edge  of  the  strag- 
glmg  town,  there  stood  a  large  house.  The  out- 
side gate  was  open.  I  approached  and  was  met 
by  an  elderly  man  who  asked  whence  we  came  and 
whither  we  were  going.  I  replied  that  here  was 
one  who  had  recently  come  from  his  own  far- 
away country;  had  left  his  wife  and  little  child 
m  Foochow;  that  his  only  purpose  in  traveling 
this  road  was  that  he  might  bring  to  them  and 
the  people  of  their  district  a  message  of  good 
news. 


FOOTNOTES  ON  OLDFIELD  TRAIL      63 

By  this  time  a  score  or  more  of  people  had 
come  out  of  the  house,  among  them  a  few  elderly 
women.  They  invited  me  in,  and,  in  a  courteous 
w:.y,  offered  tea.  I  spoke  of  the  long,  hilly  road 
I  had  traveled,  my  weariness  and  the  inn  where 
I  could  not  rest  with  the  opium  smokers. 

*•  Yes,  yes,  the  inns  are  all  bad,"  came  a 
motherly  voice;  **  you  can  have  a  place  in  our 
house.  It  is  a  poor  little  shack  and  it  is  not 
clean ;  but  my  grandson  will  lead  you ;  follow  him 
across  the  brook." 

With  a  wave  of  her  hand,  she  disappeared  out 
of  the  back  door,  and  we  followed  the  grandson 
across  the  brook  and  into  the  open  court  of  a 
fine,  large  house.  Here  our  old  lady  met  us  and 
handed  me  a  nice  warm  fire-basket,  and  said  she 
would  immediately  bring  warm  water  for  our 
feet.  Deep  down  in  my  heart  I  prayed  a  Sa- 
viour's blessing  on  this  woman  and  her  house. 

Our  baggage  was  sent  up  a  flight  of  stairs  to 
our  rooms.  The  old  lady,  seeing  our  food-baskets, 
told  us  to  put  them  aside  and  invited  us  every 
one,  burden-bearers  and  all,  six  of  us,  to  **  eat 
and  sleep  the  house."  She  hurried  around, 
making  preparations,  and  soon  we  sat  down  to  a 
good  and  bountiful  supper.  Her  married  son  sat 
at  the  head  of  the  table,  while  she  was  busily 
bustling  about  until  sleeping  accommodations 
were  provided  for  all. 

After  supper  our  neighbors,  some  thirty  or 
forty  of  them  dwelling  under  the  same  roof  with 
us,  gathered  in  the  reception  hall.    I  explained 


64 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


why  we  were  kere,  and  the  command  laid  i^mh  ns 
to  make  known  to  them  the  ChintiaB  religion. 
Brother  Ski,  with  open  Bible  m  hand,  wu  already 
on  his  feet  Be  told  of  Gtod  and  the  creatum, 
of  man's  sin  aad  need  of  a  Sff^onr.  of  Qod's  Is^e 
for  ns  in  sending  His  Sob  te  rednem  ns  and  of 
this  Letter,  wMch  tells  us  how  to  escape  the  pen- 
alty of  sin  Eod  to  retnra  to  our  Father.  He 
tailed  for  an  Jnnr.  Then  the  blacksmith,  seeing 
tiie  iron  was  hot,  got  it  on  the  anvil,  and  applied 
the  blows  quick  and  strong  for  another  half  hour. 

We  had  a  night  of  restful  sleep.  Next  morning, 
our  hosts  urged  us  to  stay  over  another  day,  or 
at  aay  rate,  to  come  to  their  town  again,  and  be 
entertained  in  the  same  rooms. 

TIte  road  was  long  and  rough.  Arriving  at 
Oldfield  City,  the  Chinese  evangelists  were  ex- 
uberantly happy  to  be  welcomed  by  Christians 
into  the  neat  little  chapel ;  but  the  missionary  was 
all  forspent.  Early  in  the  evening  he  lay  down, 
kot  he  could  not  sleep.  So  he  got  up  and  went 
into  the  service  already  commenced. 

I  had  not  been  able  to  sleep — says  the  Journal 
— because  I  was  so  fascinated  with  one  partic- 
ular voice,  the  clear  tenor  voice  of  a  boy.  He 
would  follow  the  tunes,  even  new  ones,  after  one 
verse  had  been  sung.  I  tried  to  imagine  the 
beautiful  boy  I  should  see.  But,  alas!  how  hag- 
gard, how  almost  repelling!  The  sweet  singer 
is  the  young  brother  of  Mr.  Diong,  our  first  con- 
vert here,  who  was  lately  baptized  at  Foochow. 
Thm  Yffoiher  was  apprenticed  to  learn  a  trade; 


f;iill)lul   Kuidc. 


1 


FOOTNOTES  ON  OLDFIELD  TRAIL      65 

his  master  was  an  opium  smoker  and  the  boy 
Boon  fell  into  the  same  habit. 

After  Mr.  Diong  was  converted  and  reclaimed 
from  opium,  he  brought  this  brother  back  to  their 
home  and  tried  to  make  him  also  give  up  the  use 
of  opium.  But  he  could  do  nothing  with  him. 
Then  he  got  permission  to  keep  him  at  the  chapel 
where  he  could  watch  and  care  for  him,  and  have 
the  preacher  pray  with  him.  In  order  to  make 
him  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  the  street,  he  forbade 
him  to  have  his  head  barbered,  or  to  wear  good 
clothes.  But  they  tell  me  he  is  studying  the  Bible 
and  is  very  fond  of  memorizing  hymns.  He  is 
trying  to  break  off  the  opium  habit  and  be<  ome 
a  true  Christian.  His  brother,  on  our  advice,  is 
now  going  to  have  him  dressed  properly,  so  as 
to  stimulate  his  self-respect.  The  older  brother 
is  now  a  fine-looking,  intelligent  man  and  prays 
like  a  bishop. 


On  the  site  of  that  first  chapel  now  stands  one 
of  the  finest  little  churches  in  China.  Tens  of 
others  dot  the  valleys  and  hillsides  of  Oldfield 
district.  Where  then  were  only  "  vegetable  gar- 
dens "  there  is  now  a  kindergarten.  Near  the 
gi-ove  in  the  high  angle  of  the  city  wall  from 
which  the  missionary  looked  down  that  first  Sab- 
bath morning,  Christian  bchools  now  flourish  and 
a  Christian  hospital  and  Christian  homes;  for  in 
the  footsteps  of  that  first  prisoner  of  hope,  thou- 
sands have  come  into  liberty  and  light. 


MONKEYS  AND  MANDABINS  IN 
BONNIEBUBN 

WE  had  been  back  in  Foochow  for  some 
months,  with  ever  and  anon  a  yearning 
memory  of  those  three  happy  years  at 
Oxvale.  Baby  Belle  had  a  new  doll,  a  little  boy, 
lately  come  down  from  Heaven.  He  was  very  in- 
teresting to  her  for  a  few  days.  Then  she  began 
to  feel  that  there  were  too  many  in  the  family. 

**  Mamma,"  she  said  to  me  one  morning,  *•  don't 
you  think  Grandpa  wants  Baby  Brother  in 
America?  " 

If  the  increase  of  home  ties  made  it  harder  for 
the  missionary  to  break  away,  there  was  no  falling 
off  in  his  itinerating  to  show  it.  His  tours  were 
now  even  longer  than  before,  as  the  frontiers  of 
the  evangel  were  pushed  farther  and  fartbor  back. 
In  his  journal,  however,  aboard  his  river  boat,  or 
the  first  day  of  a  new  itinerary  his  heart  wculd 
speak.    Then  there  would  be  a  prayer : 

*•  0  that  the  Lord  Almighty,  Who  has  made 
these  rivers,  valleys,  mountains  and  people,  might 
send  a  message  to  them  by  me  at  this  time." 

Again,  after  twenty-four  days  of  joumeyings, 
he  records  with  trembling  joy  his  doxology : 

66 


1 


BONNIEBURN 


97 


**  Snrely  the  Lord  has  been  good  to  ns,  and  to 
Him  be  all  the  praise,  and  may  His  blessing  rest 
npon  His  own  tmth  left  with  the  people  of  this 
land.'' 


**  Can  you  tell  me,  Sek  Ong,"  said  Mr.  Sites 
to  teacher  Sia  as  he  studied  his  map  one  morning, 
"  what  kind  of  roads  there  are  in  the  mountain 
district  away  beyond  Clearwater?  And  do  the 
people  understand  our  speech?  " 

"  Mountainous  indeed  it  is,"  replied  Sia,  "  and 
wooded  and  very  high;  there  is  snow  in  winter, 
but  the  roads  are  fair.  The  people  know  nothing 
of  foreigners.  They  speak  a  tongue  of  their  own ; 
but  their  trading  people  often  come  to  Foochow, 
and  so  our  speech  is  understood  by  many." 

**  Have  you  ever  traveled  there? "  asked  the 
missionary. 

"  No." 

**  Will  you  go  with  me?  " 

"  I  could  not  presume,"  was  the  polite  reply, 
"  but  if  Teacher  Sites  desires  it  I  am  happy  to 
go." 

The  rendezvous  was  the  castle  home  of  the 
Wong  clan  at  the  Sixth  Township  village  of  Clear- 
water, an'<  there  was  to  be  an  early  morning  start 
for  the  district  city  of  Bonuiebum,  called  by  the 
Chinese  Yuki,  fifty  miles  over  the  mountain  paths. 

We  had  not  gone  five  minutes  out  of  the  city — 
says  the  Journal — before  we  were  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain.  A  boy,  with  a  carrying  pole,  was 
in  our  company. 


MICROCOrv   RESOlUTlbN  TBT  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


B^        1653  E<  jt  Moin  Slrnl 

B        (716)  «82  -  0300  -  Phone 
S        (716)   288 -5989 -Fox 


68 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


**  Who  are  you  I  '*  I  said,  "  and  where  are  you 
going?  " 

**  To  Yuki,"  he  answered. 

**  To  what  place  I" 

**  To  Siong  Lang." 

"  Do  you  go  by  Ke  Pang!  " 

"  Yes." 

**  Can  we  arrive  there  to-day?  " 

"Yes,  I  go  farther." 

**  Good,  You  can  lead  us  through  the  mountain 
paths." 

**  Oh,  yes,  I  know  them  well." 

* '  Do  so,  sir,  and  we  will  give  you  dinner  and  a 
little  money." 

So  we  had  a  guide  provided  who  brought  us  to 
the  right  place  before  night.  We  gave  him  books, 
told  him  of  Jesus,  paid  him  the  cash,  and  parted 
just  in  sight  of  where  we  were  to  spend  the  night. 

Next  morning,  a  man  who  knew  the  way  to  our 
next  place  carried  one  of  our  loads.  For  two 
hours,  as  we  marched,  we  saw  no  man  or  beast  or 
bird  or  house.  At  last  we  came  to  a  village  of 
about  seventy  families  who  speak  the  Foochow 
dialect,  and  a  local  brogue  besides.  They  showed 
us  great  kindness;  cooked  for  us  the  best  white 
rice ;  for  my  dinner  they  would  take  no  pay.  We 
offered  and  urged ;  but  it  was  no  superficial  polite- 
ness on  their  part. 

**  You  are  teachers  of  good  doctrine  and  we 
will  not  take  your  money,"  they  said. 

Now  our  road  leads  through  a  large  grove  of 
the  most  beautiful,  tall,  straight  trees  that  I  have 


BONNIEBURN 


69 


seen  in  China,  many  of  them  five  feet  in  diameter. 
In  the  shade  of  their  high  spreading  branches,  I 
could  not  refrain  from  turning  aside  to  kneel  on 
the  dried  leaves  and  ask  God's  blessing  on  the 
kind  people  who  dwell  here.  I  thought  of  my 
native  forests;  of  my  father's  house  and  lands 
and  my  loved  ones,  who  were  doubtless  remem- 
bering that  to-day  is  my  birthday.  Thirty-six 
years  old!  But  onward  I  must  follow  our  faith- 
ful guide. 

The  only  practicable  policy  here  where  foreign- 
ers are  wholly  unknown  is  to  put  up  at  the  inn. 
I  should  not  want  private  families  to  be  annoyed 
by  such  a  crowd  as  follows  us.  And,  too,  we  must 
consider  their  superstitions.  If  we  were  to  stop 
in  a  private  home,  and  afterward  some  misfor- 
tune happened  to  the  family,  or  one  of  them  were 
to  die,  their  neighbors  would  attribute  it  to  the 
mysterious  influence  of  the  foreigner.  So  I  feel 
just  as  well  satisfied  with  the  inn  fare  as  I  would 
with  entertainment  in  a  private  house,  because 
we  know  it  is  best  for  our  work. 

Happening  into  a  temple,  or  ancestral  hall,  in 
the  evening,  I  found  about  thirty  men  seated 
around  three  tablef  at  a  feast.  As  I  drew  near 
they  all  left  their  seats  and  came  to  the  door  to 
see  me.  I  tried  to  persuade  them  to  finish  their 
feast,  but  no  I  I  must  needs  take  a  seat  with  them. 
I  sat  down,  with  my  hat  off,  while  they  all  had 
**  the  wedding  garment  "  on. 

"  Indeed,"  I  protested,  apologetically,  **  I  am 
most  impolite," 


70 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


L 


**  Never  mind;  we  are  of  two  nations  and  of 
different  customs,"  they  said. 

While  my  birthday  feast  was  proceeding  mer- 
rily my  helper  spent  most  of  his  time  in  conver- 
sation with  a  fine,  elderly  man  by  the  name  of 
Ding,  a  real  gentleman  of  the  old  school.  He 
has  a  large  general  store  near-by.  He  had  come 
to  the  inn  to  call  on  us.  He  has  a  gray  beard  and 
frosted  hair  and  of  course  wears  large  spectacles. 
He  continued  to  cling  to  us  until  we  left  the  place, 
urging  us  to  stay  longer. 

Next  morning,  as  we  were  starting,  a  younger 
brother  of  Mr.  Ding  came  to  escort  us  as  far  as 
his  home  village,  more  than  half  a  mile  away.  At 
his  house,  he  urged  us  to  stop  for  tea.  We  did 
so  and  spent  nearly  an  hour,  preaching  and  talk- 
ing to  a  house  full  of  people.  Then  he  stepped 
into  a  room  and  brought  out  a  well-preserved  copy 
of  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  which  he  had  received  at 
Foochow. 

As  we  followed  the  old  paved  road  through  a 
forest  of  chestnut,  oak  and  maple  we  heard  a 
racket  among  the  branches.  Looking  up,  we  saw, 
—what  do  you  suppose!  A  half-dozen  wild  mon- 
keys, hopping  from  bough  to  bough,  and  from  tree 
to  tree.  We  stopped  and  laughed  and  shouted, 
while  the  monkeys  played  off  farther  and  farther 
from  us.  Another  sound  in  the  tall  trees  above 
our  heads;  there  sat  a  great  grandfather  monkey 
in  the  branches,  sixty  or  seventy  feet  above  us. 
He  was  a  sturdy  old  fellow  and  not  so  easily  dis- 
turbed as  the  younger  ones.    He  fixed  himself 


R: 


A  Gentleman  of  the  Old  School. 


BONNIEBURN 


71 


is  I 


comfortably  on  a  large  limb,  and  calmly  looked 
!  t  us.  I  walked  on  a  few  paces  and  again  called 
out  to  the  saucy  old  fellow,  and  he  made  off. 

As  we  went  on,  our  guide  enlivened  our  way 
with  wonderful  stories  of  the  tricks  of  their  mon- 
keyships. 

There  was  tumult  in  and  around  the  little  tavern 
by  the  highway  at  the  edge  of  Bonniebum  city. 
A  foreigner  with  strangely  bleached  skin  had  ar- 
rived.   He  was  wadhing  his  face  and  hands;  yes, 
he  was  using  soap.    He  must  be  very  old,  for  he 
had  a  full  beard.  And  his  eyes  I  blue  1  how  strange  1 
The  poor  old  man  and  woman  who  kept  the  inn 
knew  not  what  to  do,  for  the  whole  length  of  their 
one  room  was  jammed  full;  men  and  boys  were 
standing  on  stools,  on  tables,  anywhere  so  as  to 
see.   The  missionary  was  trying  to  wash  and  dress 
in  order  to  go  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  District 
Magistrate.    To  prevent  a  riot  he  pushed  his  way 
outdoors,  in  shirt-sleeves  as  be  was,  and  as  the 
crowd  followed  he  talked  to  them  from  the  steps. 
He  besought  them,  if  they  were  satisfied  with  see- 
ing, to  go  away,  and  let  him  finish  dressing.    With 
innate  courtesy  they  moved  off,  but  others  came. 
They  would  fill  up  the  entire  house,  and  the  poor 
old  lady  would  come  and  beseech  the  stranger  to 
go  out  again.    After  four  public  appearances  »-nd 
four  speeches,  his  toilet  was  complete,  and  he  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Magis crate's  office. 

I  sent  in  my  card, — says  the  Journal, — with  the 
Bible  and  a  map  of  the  world.   In  a  minute  or  two 


72 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


I  was  invited  in.  I  was  conducted  to  the  private 
reception  room.  The  Magistrate  came  in,  clad  in 
regal  robes,  and  made  a  handsome  bow,  I  doing 
the  same.  He  then  conducted  me  to  the  seat  of 
honor,  and  he  sat  by  my  side.  Tea  was  brought 
with  the  usual  ceremonies. 

"  Where  are  you  now  stopping?  "  he  asked. 

**  At  the  inn." 

**  That  is  too  small  and  crowded,"  said  His 
Honor.  **  You  shall  have  a  place  in  a  large 
temple." 

"  Thanks,  thanks.  Your  Excellency.  The  inn 
would  do,  but  the  people  are  determined  to  see  me, 
and  the  landlord  cannot  control  the  crowd.  You 
are  very  kind  in  your  offer,  and  we  will  gladly 
accept  it  for  three  or  four  days." 

•*  Very  well,  very  well." 

I  then  referred  him  to  the  Christian  doctrine 
we  preach,  contained  in  *he  book  I  had  sent  him. 

"Yes.    Thank  you  for  it." 

**  The  map,"  I  added,  **  is  quite  a  true  repre- 
sentation of  the  various  kingdoms  of  the  earth." 

**  Ah,  indeed.  And  does  it  show  where  your 
esteemed  country  is  ?  " 

I  pointed  out  America. 

**  But  is  your  esteemed  country  to  the  west- 
ward! " 

"  Going  westward,"  I  answered,  "  you  reach 
my  humble  country,  going  eastward  you  also  ar- 
rive there." 

Then,  using  my  teacup  for  a  globe,  I  gave  him 
his  first  lesson  in  geography;  while  his  further 


BONNIEBUBN 


73 


qnestions  led  to  astronomy, — the  sim  stationary, 
the  earth  resrolving.  He  was  disposed  to  doubt 
this,  and  I  was  led  into  making  a  lengthy  astro- 
nomical explanation.  I  found  the  predicting  of 
eclipses  one  of  the  most  convincing  arguments. 

Thus  an  hour  passed  in  fruitful  conversation. 
Again  His  Honor  expressed  thanks  and  said  he 
would  send  a  card  to  the  head  priest  of  the  tem- 
ple where  we  should  stop.  For  this  I  expressed 
my  gratitude,  and  rising,  bade  him  remain  seated. 
Of  course  he  rose,  and,  with  much  warmth  of  man- 
ner, accompanied  me  across  the  court,  out  to  the 
second  gate,  through  wMcb  we  passed,  and  he  fi- 
nally took  leave  of  mt  resence  of  the  crowd 
waiting  in  the  street 

His  interpreter,  w  '  ^argr  red  card,  led  us 
back  to  the  inn,  whence,  with  odr  baggage,  we  fol- 
lowed him  to  the  spacious  temple.  As  we  entered 
the  large  front  court,  crowds  of  people,  running 
before  and  after,  shouted,  **Ai-yah!  Ai-yahl" 
laughing  in  simple  joy  to  see  the  foreigner  thus 
crowned  with  the  evident  favor  of  the  mandarin- 
ate.  As  they  crowded  in  and  filled  up  the  temple, 
an  attendant  asked  me  to  speak  to  the  people. 

We  preached  first  in  the  temple,  then  on  the 
streets,  finding  a  friendly  reception  in  all  quar- 
ters. In  front  of  a  Confucian  temple  we  had  an 
audience  of  two  or  three  thousand  people. 

As  we  passed  by,  a  poor,  sallow-faced  opium 
smoker  hailed  us,  calling  in  a  loud  voice  to  know 
if  we  had  medicine  to  cure  opium  smoking.  He 
became  so  earnest  and  drew  so  close  to  me  that 


74 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


his  breath,  heavy  with  the  drug,  almost  stifled  me. 
I  told  him  we  had  brought  no  medicine;  that  in 
my  country  there  were  no  opium  smokers.  I 
could  only  tell  him  and  the  crowd  what  God  had 
done  in  other  cities  for  those  who  willed  and 
prayed  and  relied  upon  His  help.  I  gave  .hem 
Mr.  Diong's  experience  at  Oldfield. 

Several  other  men,  teachers  and  mechanics, 
came  to  me  at  various  times  asking  if  I  could  cure 
them  of  the  cursed  habit  of  opium.  They  said 
there  were  more  opium  shops  in  this  city  than 
rice  shops. 


Sabbath  morning  dawned  on  Bonniebum — the 
first.  Out  of  brooding  night  the  world  seemed  to 
quicken  to  a  life  of  boundless  promise. 

Centuries  ago  there  lived  in  China  a  sage  who 
did  for  the  older  Chinese  classics  what  Erasmus 
in  Europe  did  for  classic  Greek.  It  was  the  period 
of  renaissance  in  Chinese  literature.  This  sage, 
who  made  Confucius  live  again,  bore  the  surname 
Vermilion.  His  home  was  here  in  this  little  city 
of  Bonniebum.  The  temple  erected  to  his  memory 
by  his  proud  compatriots  stands  beside  the  house 
in  which  he  was  born.  In  Chinese  he  is  called 
the  Master  Chu. 

Strange  to  say,  this  high-priest  of  Confucius 
is  also  a  saint  to  Buddhist  devotees.  Strange  to  a 
stranger,  that  is;  the  Chinese  pray  to  any  spirit 
whose  favor  they  may  crave  or  whose  wrath  they 
may  dread.  In  the  great  Buddhist  monastery  on 
Drum  mountain,  above  Foochow,  you  will  find  a 


BONNIEBURN 


76 


printing-office.  There,  cut  in  large  wood  types,  are 
many  sayings  of  this  sage.  They  are  printed 
and  sold  as  life  mottoes  for  the  faithful. 

Here,  by  the  shrine  of  this  Confucian-Buddhist 
demi-god,  was  heard,  on  that  Sabbath  morning,  the 
first  echo  of  a  hymn  to  Christ. 

I  had  read  as  my  morning  lesson— says  the 
Journal — the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  and  never 
before  had  I  seen  such  beauty  in  that  poem  of  the 
eternities  and  of  the  common  day. 

Early  the  people  began  coming  into  our  temple 
to  hear  preaching  as  announced  yesterday,  and 
they  continued  all  day.  ^  hardly  had  time  for 
our  din^  r;  indeed  a  crowc  was  around  us  while 
we  ate.  Persons  from  all  ranks  and  professions 
were  our  auditors.  Elderly  men  to  whom  we  prof- 
fered books  as  tokens  of  respect  received  them 
with  polite  expressions  of  gratitude. 

The  great  temple  lent  itself  admi:  ably  to  ag- 
gressive evangelism.  Calendars,  showing  how  the 
Sundays  come  every  seventh  day,  w  ^o  displayed 
on  one  post,  on  another  a  sheet  tract.  ^'  Jesus  the 
Saviour,"  and  on  the  wall  by  the  door  a  map 
of  the  world. 

Alarum  1  People  outside  throng  the  door,  fall 
back  to  let  a  party  in,  then  swarm  in  after  them. 

**  A  load  of  gifts  for  the  teacher,  from  the 
Magistrate!  " 

Now,  gifts  should  have  their  use;  but  it  is  well 
to  regard  them  with  drcumspection.  Often  it  is 
more  blessed  to  decline  than  to  receive.  The  un- 
expected acceptance  of  a  gift  sent  merely  as  a 


76 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


I 


formality  baa  been  known  to  bring  nun  to  more 
than  one  bouse. 

So  I  send  my  assistant  to  attend  to  tbe  civilities 
with  tbe  Magistrate's  deputies  and  accept  or  re- 
turn wbat  is  sent,  according  to  Ms  judgment.  His 
Honor,  bowever,  is  evidently  i»*  earnest.  Being 
well  advised  of  this,  I  go  out  to  express  my  appre- 
ciation for  several  fine  dishes  of  fowl  and  pastry 
spread  out  on  tbe  table  before  me. 

Tbe  deputies  and  tbe  bearers  still  stand  expect- 
ant. 

"  Has  the  Teacher  another  map  like  the  one 
be  gave  the  Magistrate  yesterday!  " 

**  Yes,  indeed,  one  for  each  of  yon — and  '\  book 
besides, — and  some  cash  for  these  honest  load- 
bearers." 

Preaching,  explaining,  the  work  g^es  on.  It  is 
a  great  day.  Two  minor  officials  come  in,  and  sit 
quietly  while  my  student-helper  expounds  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Afterward,  they  come  fo^'Wc.  . 
and  there  are  mutual  introductions;  then  one 
says : — 

"  The  Magistrate  is  soon  coming  in  person  to 
call.*' 

"  Ob,  no  I  that  is  too  much  for  me  to  expect  or 
accept." 

"  Not  at  all,  not  at  all.    It  is  quite  proper." 

Presently  another  hurrah,  and  again  a  crowd 
of  people  larger  than  ever,  comes  rushing  into  the 
temple,  saying: — 

**  His  Honor  is  coming!  His  Honor  is  com- 
ing I  " 


BONNIEBURN 


77 


I  quietly  push  my  way  through  into  my  bedroom, 
and  looking  out  of  my  window,  see  His  Honor 
step  oat  of  his  sedan-chair,  attended  by  his  reti- 
nue, all  in  official  regalia.  In  a  moi  lent  my 
helper  comes  for  me.  He  says  the  servants  have 
the  tea  ready.  I  pass  outside  through  a  covered 
way,  and  into  the  reception  hall.  We  bow,  and  I 
invite  the  Magistrate  to  the  seat  of  honor.  Tea 
is  served  and  the  pipe  is  offered  by  the  Magis- 
trate's attendants.  I  beg  His  Honor  not  to  stand 
on  ceremony,  but  to  sip  his  tea;  and  we  talk  of 
good  doctrine  and  good  government,  as  friend  to 
friend.  .  .  . 


To-day  in  the  city  and  district  of  Bonniebum, 
with  its  one  million  people,  are  a  score  of  Chr'b 
tian  chapels.  Hundreds  of  bright  boys  and  gir  .~ 
from  Christian  homes  are  in  our  schools.  Some 
lads  walk  eighty  miles  over  the  mountains  to  study 
in  the  Academy  at  Yenping  and  go  back  to  be 
preachers  to  their  own  people.  The  missionary 
who  visits  Bonnieburn  now,  as  at  the  first, 
straightway  loses  his  heart  to  these  kind  folk, 
who  are  open-hearted  as  ever,  and  proud  of  their 
heritage. 

Away  down  the  rushing  bum  and  near  the 
point  where  it  meets  the  Min,  is  a  busy  river 
town.  Just  back  of  the  town  is  a  hill  and  on  the 
hill  a  l8rc'3,  flat  rock.  The  people  of  the  town 
call  it  Prayer  Rock;  and  this  is  the  story  they 
tell:— 


78  THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 

Whm  ib.  Sites  visited  this  torn.,  »  year  or 
h.0  after  lus  first  entrance  into  the  district,  one 
man,  of  good  family,  beKeved  the  Message.    He 

«rr  »  P™??"-    Po'  years,  while  pastor  of 
the  chnrch  which  grew  np  there,  he  wonld  go  eve^ 

hght  throngh  all  these  valleys.    He  grew  oR  bnt 

mLh^.i""^*»  "'  P"««  «"  toterces'sion. 

W.W        .^^^  'T^  "' '"'««» <»"<""ed  with 
taeehng  on  the  rock.    His  prayer  is  being  an- 

tiZ  „^  ?rr  ''''  ^""'^  ""•™"8  the  4ris. 
tians  of  the  town  meet  at  sunrise  by  the  rook 

where  the  old  man  nsed  to  pray,  for  I  «>^7ol 


Lotus  Flower  Mountain,  near  the  Upper  Min. 


mk 


XI 


AMONG  THE  EAPIDS 

EARLY  one  morning  the  little  caravan  ap- 
proached Bock  River.  They  were  weary 
with  the  travel  of  the  last  two  days,  for  they 
had  crossed  the  high  watershed  from  Bonnie- 
bum,  and  were  now  looking  for  a  down-river  boat. 
Several  boats  lay  moored  in  a  cove  safely  shel- 
tered from  the  rash  of  waters. 

Stepping  aboard  one  trim-looking  craft— says 
the  Journal— we  found  it  just  ready  to  put  off. 
"  What  is  the  native  fare  to  Foochow!  "  I 

asked. 

"Five  dollars,"  replied  the  captain.  "Here 
are  four  other  passengers  already  on  board;  they 
all  pay  it;  and  you  may  go  at  the  same  rate  if 
you  choose." 

"  Good,"  said  I,  devoutly  thankful  for  this  op- 
portune meeting.  "We  are  short  of  money. 
May  we  pay  part  here  and  part  when  we  arrive 
at  home!  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  as  you  please,"  answered  our  honest 

captain. 

We  were  a  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  home, 
requiring  still  five  or  six  days'  travel,  and  had 
only  four  dollars  left  to  live  on  and  pay  our  pas- 

79 


dO 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


sage.  For  this  twenty-four  days'  trip,  covering 
three  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  we  started  out 
with  only  ten  dollars  of  money.  We  met  friendly 
people  everywhere  and  lacked  nothing. 

Our  boat  is  hilf  a  hundred  feet  in  length,  with 
rounding  mat-shed  roof  over  the  passengers'  space 
amidships.  Beneath  the  clean,  white  planks  on 
which  we  sit  by  day  and  sleep  by  night  there  is 
a  depth  of  four  or  five  feet  of  hold  for  cargo. 
The  deck,  forward  and  aft,  is  full  of  boatmen.  A 
mighty  stem-oar,  as  long  as  the  boat,  is  pivoted 
over  the  stem  and  so  nicely  poised  that  the  cap- 
tain on  the  after  bridge  swings  it  with  ease.  A 
guide-oar  at  the  bow,  nearly  as  long  as  the  other, 
is  wielded  by  a  pilot  specially  engaged  for  the 
trip.  He  gets  the  extraordinary  wage  of  ten  dol- 
lars to  take  the  boat  through  the  worst  series  of 
rapids,  thirty  miles  to  the  junction  with  the  Min. 

Our  boat  has  put  out  into  the  stream  and  now 
we  are  in  the  rapids ;  the  bed  of  the  river  is  a  field 
of  boul  lers  and  jagged  points  of  rocks.  There 
is  but  one  narrow  channel  where  the  boat  can  find 
open  water. 

I  could  not  even  guess  the  course,  but  the  pilot 
and  the  captain  know.  Steersmen  and  oarsmen 
strain  every  nerve  to  cat'jh  the  current  which 
sweeps  them  safely  past  this  hidden  rock  and 
then  to  swerve  back  just  in  time  to  escape  that 
mighty  boulder. 

Now  we  approach  a  rapid  where  the  current  is 
too  swift  and  the  turns  too  sharp  for  ordinary 
steering.    A  long  rope  is  fastened  to  the  stem  of 


AMONG  THE  BAPIDS 


81 


the  boat  and  four  men  are  pnt  out  on  a  great  stone 
to  hold  back,  while  others  on  board  ply  the  brakes. 
Thus  slowly  and  carefully  the  boat  is  eased  down 
among  the  rocks,  while  the  angry  waters  rush  by. 
We  pass  a  large  boat  wrecked  in  the  rapids.   It 
seems  to  have  been  going  upstream,  loaded  with 
salt.   Doubtless  the  main  rope  broke,  and  the  boat 
drifted  helplessly  back  to  be  smashed  on  a  boulder. 
Here  we  can  see  the  toil  of  traffic  upstream. 
We  meet  one  boat  which  has  thirty-four  men 
tracking  on  the  bans.    Each  man  wears  a  soft 
rope  sUng  over  his  shoulder,  spliced  to  a  short 
guy-rope  of  plaited  bamboo.     These  guy-ropes 
are  attached  at  intervals  of  a  few  feet  to  the 
bamboo  cable  which  is  fastened  firmly  to  the  boat. 
The  bank  just  here  is  a  beaTztiful  coaise  gravel, 
and  the  men  pull,  bending  themselves  over  until 
they  walk  on  all-fours,  and  thus,  with  all  their 
strength,  they  drag  the  slow  craft  along. 

I  notice  that  some  of  the  men  hold  a  sharp - 
pointed  stone  in  each  hand  to  bHe  into  the  ground, 
like  the  teeth  on  the  wheel  of  a  traction  engine. 
I  wonder  what  invention  a  Yankee  will  one  day 
substitute  for  this  severe  man-labor. 

More  than  once  that  day,  in  the  height  of  a 
thrilling  struggle  with  waves  and  rocks,  the  mis- 
sionary heard  the  captain  adjure  his  men  by  all 
the  gods  to  put  forth  every  ounce  of  strength. 
Stamping  on  his  bridge  in  a  seeming  frenzy,  the 
captain  would  shout  above  the  tumult  of  the 
waters : — 

* '  Buy  your  coffins  I    Buy  your  -offins  I 


^ 


THE  INV»^CIBLE  GOSPEL 


"  You're  dead  I    You're  dead  I  " 

This  method  of  appeal  had  evidently  produced 
happy  results;  but  it  was  certainly  violent  and, 
from  the  Chinese  point  of  view,  profane.  Could 
not  the  same  ends  be  gained  by  more  Christian 
means  T  The  captain  listened  considerately  to 
some  gentle  exhortation  offered  when  the  boat 
tied  up  for  the  night.  But  after  the  lights  were 
out  and  most  of  the  men  were  asleep,  the  old  tar 
was  heard  muttering  his  reflections  upon  the  ad- 
vice given : — 

"  A  lot  these  foreigners  know  about  running  a 
boatl  'Speak  calmly,'  indeed  1  Oh,  yesl  To- 
morrow, when  we  get  into  the  fifteenth  rapid,  I 
will  politely  say:  *  Gentlemen,  will  you  now  be 
kind  enough  to  put  aside  your  oars  ai  d  get  out 
your  iron-shod  poles  and  ward  the  boat  from  the 
Took  on  which  we  are  just  dashing?  '  Well,  they'll 
be  dead  before  I've  said  itl  If  I  hadn't  yelled 
*  Coffins  1 '  we'd  all  have  gone  to  the  bottom  long 
ago! " 

He  sighed  and  rolled  over  in  dreamless  sleep. 


Safely  sheltered  from 

the  rush  of  waters. 


xn 


IN  THE  CITY  OF  LINGERING  PEACE 

ON  a  picturesque  slope  in  the  angle  of  two 
rivers,  which  meet  to  form  the  Min,  stands 
the  City  of  Lingering  Peace.  Whether 
peace  was  supposed  to  linger  in  coming  or  to 
linger  having  come,  i  do  not  know.  Certainly  the 
situation  is  restful  enough.  Looking  down,  from 
the  hill-tops,  which  crown  the  city,  one  sees  a 
straight-away  stretch  of  five  miles  of  blue  water, 
first  smooth,  then  dashing  among  rocks,  all  held 
in  bounds  by  serried  ranks  of  green  hills.  The 
highest  of  the  promontories  on  either  side  is 
capped  with  a  pagoda,  browned  and  weather- 
beaten  like  the  native  rock  and  dedicated  to  the 
guardian  genii  of  the  city. 

x'jnericans  mig  t  liken  the  basin  of  the  Min 
to  that  of  the  Potomac.  Tumultuous  ranges  of 
hills  have  tried  to  block  the  Min  in  its  course  and 
have  left  the  record  of  strife  in  innumerable 
rapids  and  flood-washed  gorges.  But  the  Chinese, 
with  their  genius  for  adaptation,  have  in  a  measure 
overcome  the  difficulties  of  navigation  by  devising 
boats  to  run  the  rapids  and  carry  a  heavy  com- 
merce. 

The  conmiercial  metropolis  of  the  upper  Min 

88 


84 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL. 


is  this  city  of  Lingering  Peace,  or  as  the  Chinese 
call  it,  Yenping,  one  hundrAd  and  fifty  miles  from 
the  sea. 

On  his  first  visit  to  the  city,  en  route  do'wii  river 
after  the  tour  through  Bonniebum,  Mr.  Sites  re- 
marked its  commanding  situation.  By  a  happy 
providence  his  boat  was  tied  up  here  Saturday  and 
Sunday.  "  Yenping  "—he  writes—"  is  the  oflS- 
cial  head  of  three  populous  prefectures,  and 
boasts  a  proud  literary  aristocracy.  Moreover, 
it  is  a  strategic  centre  of  commerce,  and  com- 
mands the  line  of  coming  railway  development  be- 
tween Foochow  and  the  Yangtze  valley.  For  a 
foreign  residence  for  a  mission  family,  I  like 
Yenpir  better  than  any  other  city  I  have  seen 
west  of  Foochow.  On  a  beautiful  elevation  I  have 
looked  the  spot  over  for  placing  two  Liissionary 
residences.  I  trust  the  Lord  will  open  the  way  in 
due  time." 

To-day  on  tliat  "  beautiful  elevation  "  within 
the  wall,  overlooking  the  city  and  the  river  vista, 
stand  three  mission  houses;  near  by  is  the  Nathan 
Sites  Memorial  Academy,  where  youths  of  that 
region,  for  one  hundred  miles  about,  are  trained 
to  Christian  service.  On  another  knoll  stands  the 
fine  mission  hospital;  on  still  another  the  build- 
ings of  the  women's  and  girls'  schools.  Down  in 
the  heart  of  the  city  is  one  of  the  largest  churches 
in  the  province.  How  these  and  many  other  things 
came  about,  is  wrapped  up  in  a  story  or  two  which 
I  must  now  tell. 


THE  CITY  OF  LINGERING  PEACE     85 

One  day  nea.iy  fifty  yeara  ago,  a  blind  man 
named  Dang,  led  by  his  little  boy,  passed  along 
the  great  South  Street,  in  Foochow,  out  of  the  city 
gate  to  the  Tea  Pavilion.    Near  the  Tea  Pavilion 
he  caught  strange  sounds  of  singing  from  withm 
a  house.    They  went  to  the  door  and  heard  a  man 
speaking  to  a  crowd.   The  little  boy  led  the  bhnd 
man  in  "  to  see  "  what  it  all  meant.    He  heard 
the  gospel  story-for  the  house  was  our  * '  Church 
of  the  True  God."    The  preacher,  that  day,  was 
Teacher  Sia.   Next  day  the  blind  man  came  again; 
he  got  spiritual  eyesight;  not  long  after,  a  mis- 
Bionary  doctor   performed   a   skilful   operation 
which  gave  him  back  his  natural  sight  as  well.    A 
missionary  got  him  a  large-type  Bible.    He  began 
to  read  it  eagerly,  for  he  was  a  man  of  some  edu- 
cation; but  he  stumbled  at  .'^e  deeper  meanings. 
About  that  time  Teacher  Sia  became  pastor  of 
the  East  Street  Church  in  Foochow  City,  near 
which  Mr.  Dang  lived.    Sia  took  peculiar  interest 
in  him,  taught  him,  trained  him,  touched  him;  and 
the  man  once  blind  went  out  to  lead  others  to  the 

light.  .      «.  •  1 

Before  losing  his  eyesight  he  had  been  in  official 
employ  in  other  parts  of  China.  Becoming  a 
preacher  he  was  sent  to  Yenping  because  of  his 
knowledge  of  the  Mandarin  colloquial  as  spoken 
there.  For  many  years  he  served  in  that  re^on 
with  tact  and  zeal  and  great  efficiency.  It  was  a 
difficult  field  in  which  to  get  a  foothold.  Especially 
was  this  true  of  Yenping  City.  Here  the  popula- 
tion was  dominated  by  two  rather  intractable 


THE  INVINCIBLE  OOSPEL 

dasBPi,  the  literary  ariitocracy  and  the  river 
ahipping  interests. 

Only  a  bare  beginning  seemed  to  have  been 
made  in  the  city  when  onr  traveler  made  his 
fourth  visit  ^o  Yenping  in  1869.  Mr.  Dang  was 
pastor,  but  the  little  church  had  as  y .  practically 
no  membership  aside  from  the  pastor's  family. 
Out  of  six  or  eight  "  inquirers  "  only  one  candi- 
date w«««  judged  worthy  of  baptism;  he  was — ^but 
this  brings  us  to  another  -tory. 

A  peddler,  Daing  by  name,  had  come  from  his 
home  up-river,  in  Eternal  Best  district,  to  ply  his 
trade  in  the  little  metropolis.  As  it  chanced,  he 
lodged  next  door  to  the  chapel.  His  landlady, 
being  both  Chinese  and  feminine,  had,  of  course, 
early  formed  acquaintance  vnth  her  neighbor,  the 
preacher's  wife,  by  chatting  across  the  wall. 
Within  a  week  or  two  the  women  had  picked  out 
a  panel  of  the  plastered  partition.  The  landlady 
and  her  mother-in-law  came  often  to  prayers  in 
the  chapel  with  Mrs.  Dang.  Having  heard  the 
doctrine  and  judged  it  a  good  thing,  they  exhorted 
their  lodger  to  go  and  hear.  Being  a  man,  and 
Chinese,  he  at  first  paid  no  attention  to  their  chat- 
ter. But  on  the  fourth  Sunday  he  we^-*,  listened, 
was  convinced,  and  for  six  months  had  not  been 
absent  a  Sunday.  Unfortunately  the  landlady 
herself  fell  away,  and,  with  the  other  members  of 
her  family,  became  afraid  of  their  new  faith  and 
ceased  for  some  time  to  attend.  But  the  lodger 
was  steadfast.    He  worked  diligently  at  his  trade 


THE  CITY  OF  LINOFBINO  PEACE  87 
on  week-days,  but  regularly  observed  the  Sab- 
bath. ,         ,    ^  .- 

Two  months  ago— says  the  Journal— two  or  three 
of  them  were  talking  together  one  evening,  when 
the  pastor  spoke  of  the  judgment  to  come.   Daing 
seemed  to  be  deeply  stirred.   He  told  of  the  deso- 
lations wrought  by  the  Taiping  rebels-how,  a 
few  years  before,  they  had  invaded  his  village, 
killed  his  father  and  plundered  his  home,— but  all 
this  distress,  he  said,  was  naught  to  the  great  day 
of  Judgment,  for  which  he  earnestly  prayed  he 
might  be  prepared.    From  that  time  a  marked 
change  was  observable  in  him.    I  do  not  recollect 
having  baptized  a  man  of  whom  I  could  hope  for 
more  than  from  this  man. 

His  after-history  justified  the  hope.  Mr.  Daing 
soon  began  preaching,  and  for  twenty  years  was 
a  faithful  missionary  to  his  own  people.  Lts 
fruitful  ministry  was  another  link  in  the  living 
chain  of  influence  by  whiah  the  divine  call  of  a 
college  student  in  America  is  bound  up  with  the 
destinies  of  men  unnumbered  in  China. 

Ah,  that  is  cold  rhetoric.  Let  me  tell  you  some- 
thing from  ray  heart.  When  Mr.  Daing  went  back 
to  his  home  among  the  hills  in  the  joy  of  his  new 
hope,  the  little  woman  who  was  waiting  for  him 
there  soon  found  that  the  joy  was  for  her  too. 
Gladly  and  loyally  she  joined  her  husband  in  his 
new  life  of  Christian  service. 

Ten  years  later  it  happened— or  was  it  ordered 
sot— that  Mr.  Paing  was  pastor  of  the  Church  at 
Yenping,  at  the  time  of  those  events  of  which  you 


88 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


shall  hear  later,  which  lacked  but  little  of  making 
the  last  chapter  of  my  story.  And  it  was  this 
brave  little  woman  who  then,  with  innate  skill  and 
Christian  tenderness,  washed  my  husband's 
wounds  and  tended  him  until  they  felt  safe  to  move 
him  to  a  rapids-boat  and  send  Mm  back  to  me. 

Another  ten  years  later,  as  her  husband  was 
going  by  river  to  a  preaching  appointment,  his 
boat  was  wrecked  on  the  rocks  and  he  was  lost  in 
the  foaming  waters.  So,  meeting  with  Christian 
courage  the  duty  of  the  common  day,  Mrs.  Daing 
took  up  the  work  of  a  deaconess.  Years  after- 
ward when  I  vis:'  ted  Yenping,  I  saw  her,  her  face 
radiant  with  heavenly  light,  still  active  and 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 


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SEVEN  GOLDEN  CANDLESTICKS 

S  TODAY  morning   dawned   briirht    on    ih. 
Church  of  Heavenly  Rest.    JuTt  over    L 

on  wS  ZTZ  Sd"S :' '';  '^^-^^ 

enfpty,  astdJed  I^we?:  oZ':  TT  '^"'^ 
fesUva.  days     The  cC„rw:::;^^^«^'^''* 

preachers"    FoJf  ^    ^^^P^"*^'    ^«^«    "lay 

should  clearly  approve  itself  as  indeed  of  o^H 

a^  I  S'Sel'r  ^^'"  -'''-t  VrSl' 
ih..      J**°"^ster  the  iacraments.    Now  seven  nf 

mended  by  the  Mission  and  duly  elected  in  Amer- 


90 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


ica  for  ordination  as  deacons.    Four  of  the  seven 
were  further  to  be  ordained  elders. 

It  was  a  day  of  holy  triumph,  the  end  of  a  pro- 
bation period.  These  ministers  of  Christ  had 
come  of  age.  The  time  of  beginnings  was  over. 
The  church  had  been  planted  and  tended ;  the  sea- 
son of  first-fruits  had  come. 

At  the  love-feast,  with  which  the  day  began, 
the  seven  candidates  were  given  seats  of  honor 
in  front.  It  was  a  ^  icture  to  be  remembered. 
First  came  the  two  tall  brothers  Hu,  of  a  high 
literary  family,  who  had  been  among  the  earliest 
converts  ten  years  before.  They  were  the  James 
and  John  of  our  new  apostolic  group ;  at  least  one 
was  a  Son  of  Thunder  and  the  other  most  loving 
and  beloved.  Then  there  was  the  fiery  islander, 
of  whom  you  shall  hear  m're  anon,  once  a  pirate, 
now  a  power  for  righteousness. 

Sitting  with  quiet  dignity  in  the  group  of  elders- 
elect  was  Teacher  Sia.  It  seemed  worth  the  com- 
ing from  America,  just  to  see  him  there  that  day. 

One  of  the  three  who  were  to  be  made  deacons 
was  another  whom  you  know,  the  converted  black- 
smith. The  youngest  of  them  all  was  a  fine  fellow 
who  had  come  up  through  the  boys'  boarding 
school  and  had  often  toured  the  hills  with  Mr. 
Sites;  he  to-day  is  the  one  survivor  of  that  group, 
Yek  Ing-gu^ng. 

The  cakes  and  tiny  cups  of  tea  had  been  served. 
These  take  the  place  of  bread  and  water  at  a  love- 
feast  in  China.    Then  the  testimonies  began. 

John  the  beloved  was  the  first  to  speak. 


SEVEN  GOLDEN  CANDLESTICKS   91 

"  When  I  consider,"  he  said,  "  that  God  has 
called  me  to  preach  His  gospel,  the  thought  over- 
whelms me.  There  was  a  time,  some  years  ago, 
when  I  became  vain,  and  fancied  I  was  a  good 
preacher:  then  came  a  grievous  fall  which  hum- 
bled me  in  the  dust,  and  with  repentant  tears  I 
sought  and  found  pardon.  I  have  had  something 
of  the  experience  of  Bunyan's  Pilgrim;  have 
fallen  into  the  Slough  of  Despond;  have  stumbled 
on  Mount  Difficulty,  have  wrestled  in  mortal 
agony  with  Apollyon.  Many  temptations  and 
trials  have  fettered  me.  But  out  of  them  all  the 
Lord  hath  deli ,  ered  me,  and  to-day  I  feel  that  I 
am  His  child.   Blessed  be  His  holy  name!  " 

The  blacksmith  rose ;  but  it  was  the  messenger 
of  God  who  spoke : 

**  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  We  must 
have  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  was  this 
that  inspired  Paul,  and  made  Peter  eloquent. 
This  filled  Wesley  with  burning  zeal,  and  it  is  this 
which  makes  our  Bishop  willing  to  meet  the  diffi- 
culties of  crossing  continents  and  oceans  to  pro- 
claim the  gospel  to  us.  We  must  now  take  up  the 
work.  The  missionaries  have  borne  the  cross  to 
our  shores.  We,  filled  w^*h  the  Spirit's  power, 
must  now  take  it  up  and         y  it  all  over  China.'* 

The  young  knight  of  thv.     oss  said : 

**  My  heart  leaps  for  joy  at  what  I  have  seen 
and  heard.  Christ  has  indeed  begun  to  triumph 
in  China.  Five  years  ago  Bishop  Thomson  came 
to  see  us  and  we  all  felt  that  a  good  work  was 
begun.    Now,  Bishop  Kingsley  comes,  and  we  see 


92 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


that  our  progress  is  more  rapid.  We  seven  who 
are  to  be  ordained  to-day  are  merely  the  rough 
foundation  stones  in  the  church  rising  here  in 
Foochow;  and  more  highly  polished  stones  will 
hereafter  complete  the  edifice.  A  mighty  work 
is  before  us,  but  our  God  is  all-powerful.  You 
remember  how  it  was  with  the  walls  of  Jericho. 
Many  of  the  Israelites  were  afraid  they  could 
never  take  the  city.  But  some  trusted  in  God  and 
made  the  attempt  and  on  the  last  day,  behold,  the 
walls  fell.  I  havr  faith  in  God  that  we  are  fully 
able  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land." 

Teacher  Sia  began : 

**  I  would  fain  speak  to-day  of  the  deeper  work 
of  grace  wrought  in  my  heart  during  the  early 
part  of  this  year.  For  weeks  my  mind  was 
clouded  and  my  heart  sorrowful  on  account  of  my 
sins.  I  did  n'>t  tell  any  one  of  this  peculiar  bur- 
den which  was  resting  on  my  heart.  Finally, 
from  the  depths  of  this  sorrow,  I  sought  and  found 
my  Saviour.  I  saw  Him  face  to  face.  I  knew 
Him  as  I  had  never  known  Him  before.  I  had 
known  Him  afar  off  but  now  He  had  come  close 
to  me.  I  talked  to  Him  as  to  my  familiar  friend. 
I  could  have  wished  thousands  of  people  assem- 
bled in  the  church,  and  I  raised  on  a  high  plat- 
form in  their  midst  that  I  might  have  told  every 
one  of  the  boundless  grace  and  glory  filling  my 
soul."  His  right  hand  was  upon  his  breast  and 
his  eyes  up-raised  with  a  rapt  look  as  he  ended: 
**  Were  the  mountains  pure  gold  they  could  not 
purchase  my  joy,  nor  the  whole  world  my  peace. 


^ 


SEVEN  GOLDEN  CANDLESTICKS   93 

I  plead  with  my  brethren,  get  near  to  the  Saviour, 
and  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory." 

Members  of  our  sister  mission,  the  American 
Board,  participated  in  the  ordination  ceremony. 
The  newly  ordained  Chinese  ministers  then  took 
part  in  administering  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  It  was  a  sacred  moment  when,  for  the 
first  time,  our  Chinese  brethren  presented  to  their 
Christian  fellow  countrymen  the  symbols  of  their 
faith. 

Bishop   Kingsley   was   profoundly   impressed 
with  the  ripeness  of  Christian  experience  and 
knowledge  which  he  found  in  these  native  minis- 
ters, and  with  the  spirit  of  their  testimonies  and 
prayers.    At  his  request  the  closing  prayer  of 
Sia  Sek  Ong  at  the  final  adjournment  of  this 
annual  meeting  was  preserved,  in  substance.    It 
seemed  at  the  time,  as  we  heard  it,  like  a  corona- 
tion hymn,  ascribing  glory  to  God  for  the  con- 
quests of  those  first  years, — but  it  also  spoke  the 
humility  and  faith  which,  in  him,  were  to  win  still 
richer  triumphs  for  the  cross  in  years  to  come : — 
**  We  give  thanks  to  Thee,  O  God  our  Heavenly 
Father,  the  everlasting  Jehovah,  that  we,  the  low- 
est and  most  sinful  of  men,  have  seen  these  days 
and  have  been  allowed  to  share  in  this  business 
with  the  Bishop,  the  missionaries  and  the  breth- 
ren at  this  Annual  Meeting.    For  what  our  ears 
have  heard,  for  what  our  eyes  have  seen,  we  are 
indebted  to  the  free  grace  of  God.   We  give  thanks 
to  Thee,  O  God,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  come 


^ 


94 


THE  INVINCIBLE  GOSPEL 


into  our  livos,  increasing  onr  wisdom,  warming 
onr  hearts  and  great^  establishing  our  faith. 
Now  we  ask  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  go  with  ns 
to  onr  work.  The  Bishop  leaves  us  and  we  go 
east,  west,  south  and  north  to  all  our  circmts. 
Help  ns,  day  and  night,  to  pray.  Write  upon  our 
hearts,  as  rules  for  our  g^dance,  the  books  we 
have  here  read,  the  business  we  have  here  dis- 
cussed, the  instructions  we  have  here  heard. 
Help  us  not  to  be  lazy.  Help  us  before  or 
behind  men  to  follow  our  consciences.  Help 
us  to  be  true  and  faithful;  to  watch  the  sheep 
in  every  place;  and  may  we  have  the  peace  of 
God  and  be  helped  to  benefit  and  save  the  people. 
If,  during  the  year,  we  meet  trouble,  persecution, 
temptation,  help  us  to  conquer.  If  one  or  two  of 
us  must  leave  the  world  before  we  meet  again — 
we  do  not  know,  God  knows — help  us  to  bear  the 
cross  even  unto  death  and  glorify  God  in  all  our 
lives.  May  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
abide  with  us.    This  is  our  hearts'  desire.*' 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


"  Love  took  up  the  harp  of  life 
And  struck  on  all  ita  chorda  with  might, 

Struck  the  chord  of  self,  which,  trembling, 
Passed  in  music  out  of  sight." 

TKNNTSOIf. 


'm^^ 


s 


1, 

I 


XIV 


s 


i 


AT  THE  TEMPLE  OF  ETERNAL  SPRING 

ONE  day  in  the  early  seventies,  a  foreigner 
was  footing  it  up  the  valley  road,  having 
just  left  the  aty  of  Eternal  Spring.  The 
region  is  very  idolatrous,  and  its  nnmerons  l&rge 
temples  are  kept  in  excellent  repair. 

Among  the  temples  was  one  which  was  then 
especially  popular  as  the  temporary  abode  of  the 
deity  who  presides  over  the  fortunes  of  women. 
It  was  the  season  of  the  annual  festival  of  this 
god.  My  heart  was  deeply  stirred — so  runs  the 
Journal — on  seeing  great  numbers  of  women, 
usually  in  companies  of  ten  or  twelve,  on  their 
way  to  and  from  tliis  shrine.  Their  hair  was 
carefully  arranged  and  gorgeously  bedecked  with 
flowers  and  many  fancy  pins  and  combs.  They  were 
dressed  in  bright  colors.  Those  who  were  return- 
ing carried  in  their  hands  fragrant  incense  sticks 
and  sachets  of  sacred  ashes  of  **  things  offered 
to  idols,"  thus  bearing  to  their  homes  some  virtue 
from  the  god.  Those  at  the  temple  were  lighting 
their  candles,  burning  incense  and  bowing  down 
to  the  idol,  which  was  one  borrowed  e.  pecially  for 
this  occasion,  from  a  distant  tetiple  of  great 
fame.    So  intent  and  earnest  were  they  in  their 

87 


98 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


i  .■* 


i| 


worship  that  they  were  not  diverted  from  it,  even 
by  the  unusual  aspect  of  a  foreigner  and  the 
crowds  of  men  attracted  by  his  presence.  One 
woman,  with  earnest,  motherly  face,  after  making 
her  offerings  and  prostrations  before  the  idol, 
turned  to  me,  bought  two  tracts  and  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew,  and  walked  away.  If  one  god  should 
fail  her,  perhaps  another  would  help  I 

Whereupon  the  traveler  puts  up  a  prayer  that 
the  day  might  soon  come  when  the  Lord  would 
turn  unto  Himself  the  hearts  of  this  people,  and 
when  these  intelligent-looking  women  should  be 
seen  flocking  to  and  from  the  house  of  God. 

Straightway  he  proceeds  to  help  answer  his  own 
prayer.  It  had  not  been  my  purpose— the  Journal 
continues— to  rent  a  chapel  in  this  city.  I  had 
turned  aside,  saying,  "  This  territory  surely  be- 
longs to  Amoy.  But  can  I  leave  it  thus?  No 
chapel,  no  preacher,  no  one  to  offer  books,  here 
where  tens  of  thousands  of  people  are  given 
wholly  to  idolatry!  " 

I  retraced  my  steps,  feeling  this  must  not  be. 
In  two  or  three  hours  I  had  succeeded  in  securing 
a  very  suitable  house  for  a  chapel.  I  went  on 
my  way,  leaving  Mr.  Song  there  to  preach  Christ. 
I  am  again  in  the  City  of  Eternal  Spring— says 
the  Journal  a  few  years  later.  Twelve  women 
take  part  in  our  Sabbath  service.  Nine  cf  them 
partake  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper; 
six  of  them  came  three  miles  on  foot  to  attend 
this  meeting.  Those  very  same  women  who  were 
wont  to  prostrate  themselves  before  the  idols,  of- 


On  till'  Road  Ui  the  City  of  Eternal  Spring. 

A  Mandarin's  Grave. 


I'estival  Styles  at  the 

Temple  of  Eternal  Spring. 


TEMPLE  OF  ETERNAL  SPRING       99 

fering  incense  and  prayers,  are  now  devoutly 
saying,  "  I  believe  in  God  and  in  Jesus  Christ  His 
Son." 

At  Chinese  New- Year  time,  these  Christian 
women  went  among  the  worshippers  again  at  the 
big  temple,  and  with  pleading  words  besought 
them  to  leave  such  vain  worship,  and  hear  of  the 
loving  Saviour  and  a  home  in  Heaven.  They 
would  read  a  hymn,  or  the  words  of  Jesus  from 
their  Bible,  while  the  heathen  women  gathered 
around  them,  questioning  if  the,  ^'y  could  read, 
or  was  it  just  make-believe?    ►  of  the  idol- 

worshipping  women  were  so  interested  that  they 
invited  the  Christian  women  to  come  and  visit 
them  in  their  homes.  They  went;  in  one  place  a 
class  of  inquirers  was  formed,  of  whom  three  men 
and  three  women  are  now  baptized  and  others  are 
learners.  Thus  through  the  love  and  labor  of 
these  women,  the  sound  of  prayer  and  praise  to 
God  is  now  heard  where  recently  were  known  only 
discord,  idolatry  and  superstition. 

How  had  it  come  about? 

The  visit  to  the  women's  temple  had  been  only 
an  incident  in  an  unusually  long  itinerary,  a  swing 
around  a  larger  circle  than  the  basin  of  the  Min. 
To  the  south  of  the  Min  valley  and  near  the  sea, 
stretches  the  magnificent  plain  of  .^^inghua,  just 
on  the  verge  of  the  tropics,  yielding  three  crops  a 
year  and  supporting  a  dense  population.  Here 
Mr.  Sites  had  pioneered  the  work  some  years  be- 
fore. He  loved  the  people  and  had  been  im- 
pressed with  their  intelligence.   He  had  repeatedly 


100 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


w 


visited  the  Hinghua  district ;  but  this  time,  start- 
ing from  Hinghua  city  as  a  base,  he  had  pushed 
westward,  from  the  broad  valleys  into  the  unex- 
plored foothills  of  the  adjacent  prefecture  of 
Eternal  Spring.  Thence  crossing  high  ridges, 
several  days'  journey  to  the  upper  branches  of 
the  Min,  he  returned  by  boat  down  the  rapids  after 
an  absence  of  nearly  seven  weeks.  On  the  boat 
he  records  his  prayt.  ,  and  plans  for  developing 
women's  work  for  women  in  Hinghua  City  as  a 
centre  of  the  southern  field. 

Letters  recei'  ed  at  Foochow  in  his  absence  told 
of  the  zeal  of  «^omen  in  the  homeland  to  aid  in 
such  work.  We  consulted  and  took  steps  to  make 
the  ideal  a  reality. 

A  few  weeks  after,  Mr.  Sites  was  again  in 
Hinghua  City,  in  the  home  of  Elder  Hu,  our  Son 
of  Thunder. 

**  Do  you  not  think,"  said  the  missionary  to 
the  Elder  that  evening,  **  that  our  Church  in  Ckma 
should  have  the  help  of  trained  women  to  go  out 
and  teach  the  Bible  to  their  sisters,  as  deaconesses 
do  in  America?  " 

**  Impossible!  "  replied  the  Elder.  **  The  cus- 
toms of  our  country  would  not  allow  women  to 
go  away  from  their  homes  as  teachers.  They 
would  be  insulted,  and  bring  disgrace  upon  the 
Church." 

**  But  even  in  China,"  urged  the  other,  "  the 
wives  of  our  preachers  are  a  recognized  power 
in  the  work  of  the  Church.  Christian  women  in 
America  are  feeling  very  keenly  the  needs  of  their 


TEMPLE  OF  ETEENAL  SPRING      101 

untaught  Chinese  sisters  and  have  offered  to  aid 
us  in  training  Bible-women." 

**  If  you  have  the  money  to  spend  on  such  a 
foolish  project,  go  ahead  and  spend  it,"  said  the 
Elder.    **  I  predict  that  no  good  will  come  of  it." 

"  Well,  old  friend,  we  will  go  ahead  as  you 
say,"  was  the  answer.  "  We  shall  open  a  school 
right  here,  and  you  are  to  superintend  it;  and 
your  good  wife,  with  her  Christian  endowment, 
her  genteel  manner  and  her  knowledge  of  Chinese 
proprieties,  can  give  the  women  motherly  advict 
and  daily  oversight." 

The  missionary  explained  the  plan:  to  invite 
eight  or  ter.  of  the  brightest  and  best-recom- 
men-'ed  women  of  the  district  to  come  together  in 
a  school  at  the  city  chapel  for  a  course  of  Bible 
study  in  preparation  for  deaconess  work;  ar- 
rangements had  already  been  made  for  the  equip- 
ment and  a  teacher  had  been  secured.  Then  they 
knelt  and  prayed  together  and  Brother  Hu,  like 
the  rest  of  us,  meekly  accepted  the  God-given 
task. 

From  the  very  first,  the  interest  and  enthusiasm 
of  the  women-students,  the  superintendent  and  the 
matron  were  beautiful  to  see  and  insured  suc- 
cess. The  results  were  rich  beyond  our  hopes; 
tte  women  developed  in  all  Christian  graces. 
Three  months  later  at  the  Sunday  morning  love- 
feast,  two  of  them  had  been  appointed  to  pass 
the  cakes  and  tea  to  the  women  of  the  congrega- 
tion, seated  on  one  side  of  the  chapel.  They  took 
the  trays  and  in  a  quiet,  grave  and  most  accept- 


102 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


able  way  fulfilled  the  office.  In  the  testimony- 
meeting  which  followed,  nearly  every  one  of  these 
newly  ti  ained  deaconesses  testified  to  having  re- 
cdived  strength  and  power  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

The  following  year  I  went  with  Mr.  Sites  to 
attend  a  meeting  in  Hinghua,  and,  on  my  part, 
especially  to  see  these  women.  As  we  sat  in  front 
of  them  and  looked  into  their  bright  faces  our 
hearts  were  inspired  with  new  hope  for  the  eleva- 
tion and  salvation  of  our  Chinese  sisters.  There 
were  students,  teachers,  deaconesses  and  Chris- 
tian mothers.  Before  the  days  of  our  meeting 
closed  we  seemed  to  see  a  new  era.  The  Holy 
Spirit  was  manifestly  present  in  our  services. 
One  young  woman  was  on  the  programme  Sunday 
afternoon  for  a  fifteen-minute  address,  but  at  the 
end  of  forty  minutes  only  did  she  stop. 

**  It  was  very  good,  my  dear,"  I  said,  "  but 
why  did  you  speak  so  long!  " 

**  Because,"  she  explained,  **  so  many  heathen 
men  and  women  came  in  who  never  had  heard 
before;  I  could  not  stop  when  they  were  giving 
such  good  attention;  I  forgot  everything  except 
that  I  had  a  message  for  them." 

And  not  a  moment  of  weariness  had  any  one 
felt  when  she  finished.  Already  the  little  school 
had  become  well  known  and  its  aid  was  greatly 
prized;  pastors  and  people  commended  its  great 
usefulness  and  expressed  their  appreciation  of 
the  help  rendered  to  the  Church  by  these  trained 
women. 


TEMPLE  OF  ETERNAL  SPRING     103 

One  of  the  members  of  that  first  class  was  a 
woman  not  over  twenty-five  years  of  age,  who  had 
recently  lost  her  husband.  I  did  not  learn  her 
story  until  some  years  after.  It  probably  does 
not  differ  much,  on  its  darker  side,  from  the  story 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  women  in  China. 
The  light  which  came  into  her  life,  however,  made 
her  story  so  bright  a  memory  to  me  that  I  will 
let  her  tell  it  to  you. 


iduwa 


XV 


I 


A  SONG  OF  DELIVERANCE 

HAVE  no  memory  of  my  parents.  They 
both  died  when  I  was  about  three  years  old. 
I  was  then  taken  by  an  old  woman,  with 
whom  I  lived  very  unhappily  until  I  was  twelve, 
when  she  betrothed  me  to  a  young  man  belonging 
to  a  family  who  were  friends  of  hers.  I  was 
married  when  I  was  fifteen  and  then  thought  I 
was  going  to  be  happy  the  rest  of  my  life.  My 
husband  was  a  Buddhist  and  was  a  very  strict 
vegetarian.  He  urged  the  Buddhist  doctrines 
upon  me.  He  went  to  the  Buddhist  monastery  on 
Drum  Mountain,  intending,  after  a  time,  to  have 
his  head  shaved  and  become  a  priest  and  never- 
more recognize  any  family  relations.  He  re- 
mained there  three  months  and  then  came  back 
home  to  collect  some  money.  It  was  near  the  end 
of  the  year,  when  all  accounts  must  be  settled  or 
cancelled.  There  was  a  great  freshet  at  the  time, 
and  on  his  way  home  he  fell  into  a  swollen  stream 
and  came  near  losing  his  life.  Finally  h  reached 
home  in  a  miserable  plight  and  crosser  than  ever, 
declaring  that  the  accident  was  caused  by  the 
gods,  because  of  my  unwillingness  to  become  a 
Buddhist  with  him. 


A  SONG  OF  DELIVERANCE 


105 


"  With  us  Chinese  the  great  feast  of  the  year, 
yoa  know,  is  on  the  last  night  of  the  old  year 
and  the  first  day  of  the  new.  So  we  prepared 
our  feast  for  the  last  night  of  the  year.  As  soon 
as  he  was  seated  at  the  table  my  husband  insisted 
that  his  cabbage  had  the  smell  of  meat.  I  said  it 
had  not,  and  he  became  so  enraged  that  we  had 
another  pitched  battle.  I  shall  always  remember 
the  close  of  that  year  " — this  with  a  rippling 
laugh — **  for  it  was  the  last  that  closed  with  us 
in  such  darkness. 

"During  the  first  month  of  that  new  year  I 
was  one  day  standing  by  my  window  when  I  heard 
a  man's  voice  out  on  the  street.  You  know  our 
windows  are  only  small  openings  in  Ae  wall  with 
a  wooden  door  to  close  them.  I  dared  nut  go  out ; 
but  I  could  hear  the  man  talking  earnestly  in  the 
midst  of  a  crowd.  As  I  listened  I  thought,  *  What 
strange  words!  How  different  from  anything  I 
ever  heard  before !  '  I  cannot  now  remember  what 
he  said,  only  afterward,  there  kept  ringing  in  my 
mind,  *  After  death,  the  souls  of  the  good  ascend 
to  Heaven  and  the  souls  of  the  bad  go  down  to 
dwell  with  the  evil  spirits.'  A  few  days  after- 
wards I  heard  another  voice  preaching  the  same 
doctrine.  I  called  my  husband  to  come  and  listen 
too,  but  he  refused  and  scolded  me  instead;  he 
made  me  close  the  window,  saying  I  was  ready 
to  listen  to  a  strange  man  but  would  give  no  heed 
to  the  doctrine  he  had  tried  to  teach  me.  I  an- 
swered, *  This  man  is  telling  how  to  be  good; 
you  never  taught  me  how  to  be  good.'    However, 


106  THE  TREBLE  NOTE 

I  determined  to  find  out  more,  and  on  inquiring 
of  .  »e.jrhbor  I  learned  that  the  preacher  had  f 
w^fe  and  family  and  Uved  in  a  street  very  near 
our  own  house.  ' 

"  1  improved  the  first  opportunity  to  visit  the 
preacher's  «ife,  who  told  me  about  Ji^  and 
Heaven  and  the  Sabbath  day, ,  •  urged  me  to  h« 
patient  with  my  husband  and  iuuu"  Wm  to  om^ 
and  hear     Accordingly,  after  that,  when  he  w"s 

to  bnng  him  to  hear  the '  Jesus  preacher/   It  ha^ 

IM.  »    .     ""  P^^'W-g  going  on  in  a  house 
80  he  went  nearer  and  listened.     The  nreacher 

H:Zf,^"t  r*  "  """-'"^  »<»P«' «'  «    Job- 
He  brought  It  home,  told  me  where  he  got  it,  and 

JhrewU  down.    As  he  sat  dow^  to  dinnfr  he'safd, 

street   waT/r  ^""^  P'^"'"^"*  «"«.  o"  'h« 
street,  was  a  foreigner.     They  were  all  lnin„„ 

about  him  and  telling  how  heUs  „u    CM^e"! 
people.    They  call  him  Teacher  Sites.- 

Mv  husband  could  read  well,  but  I  did  not 
then  know  a  character.  In  the  evening  I  asked 
him  to  read  the  book,  but  he  would  not.    Time  after 

mtll  ilrl  •  S°"«t™«s  he  would  read  a 
htUe  while  then  angrily  throw  the  book  down 
sayng,  I  taught  you  doctrine  years  ago  andTn 
woud  not  believe.  Why  do  you  want*tCt '^  ? 
would  answer,  '  But  this  doctrine  teaches  people 
to  be  good  and  it  agrees  with  my  heart  I  -  I  Sd 
want  to  hear  it  so  much  that  I  would  take  np  tte 


UMi^m 


The  "Outlook"  of  the   Xon- 
Christi-in   P.ride  in  Hinghiia. 


Woman's  Spher.e. 


A  SONG  OF  DELIVERANCE 


107 


book  aiid  torn  over  the  leaves  and  say  ^*>  him, 
'  Oh,  what  is  this?  What  does  it  say  on  tb'  get 
Just  read  a  little  along  here.'  Ornd  tallj  ^d  be- 
gan to  read  more  freely,  and  went  t^f^ain  to  hear 
the  preacher.  One  day  when  I  was  at  the  preach- 
er's house  I  requested  him  to  persuade  my  hus- 
band to  come  to  the  Sunday  service  and  to  allow 
me  to  come  too.  Not  long  after  this  my  husband 
said,  '  To-morrow  is  the  rest-day,  and  I'm  going 
to  the  chapel  to  see  the  Jesus  worship,  and  they 
said  I  should  bring  you  too. '  So  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing I  followed  my  husband  down  to  the  chapel 
with  a  joyful  heart.  When  the  people  knelt  to 
pray,  I  knelt  too,  but  my  husband  stood  and  looked 
on. 

"  After  attending  three  Sundays  my  husband 
was  willing  to  kneel  in  time  of  prayer.  This  was 
in  the  third  month  and  then  we  subscribed  our- 
selves as  learners,  and  became  sincere  seekers 
after  the  truth.  He  studied  the  Bible  with  the 
preacher  and  at  home.  In  the  next  year.  Teacher 
Sites  came  again  and  baptized  my  husband,  my 
little  boy  and  myself.  Ah,  those  were  happy  days ! 
I  was  learning  to  read  and  was  glad  all  day  long. 

**  Soon  my  husband  was  asked  to  help  the 
preacher,  and  in  this  work  he  labored  faithfully 
until  the  time  of  his  death,  last  year,  in  the  third 
month.  When  he  was  dying,  I  was  on  my  knees 
by  his  bedside,  praying,  *  Lord  Jesus,  receive  his 
spirit!  '  He  said, '  Amen,'  and  ceased  to  breathe 
so  peacefully,  just  like  a  child  falling  asleep  in 
its  mother's  arms. 


I 


1 1 
I 


108 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


"  But  then  there  came  upon  me  a  cloud,  dark- 
ness and  great  sorrow.  For  three  days  and 
nights  I  neither  ate  nor  slept.  I  seemed  almost 
to  be  losing  my  mind,  but  I  kept  praying  all  the 
time  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  day,  while  pray- 
ing, I  seemed  to  see  into  Heaven  with  all  its  beau- 
ties and  to  hear  my  husband's  voice  saying  to  me, 
♦  Follow  the  Saviour  and  this  is  your  home.'  I 
then  became  so  happy  I  rejoiced  all  the  time.  My 
friends  reproved  me  for  being  so  joyful  when  I 
ought  to  be  mourning;  but  I  was  so  happy  I  could 
not  be  sorrowful,  and  ever  since  I  have  been  joy- 
ously following  the  Saviour  and  looking  forward 
to  that  Heavenly  home." 


k 


XVI 


THE  GIRLS'  DRILL  GROUND 

ONCE,  in  the  college  days  at  Delaware,  some 
good  women  of  the  city,  so  the  story  runs, 
determined  to  close  out  a  liquor  saloon 
which  had  been  opened  by  an  Irishman  not  far 
from  the  campus.  They  went  in  a  body,  and  some 
of  the  students  also  went  to  see  what  would  hap- 
pen. The  ladies  smashed  many  bottles  and  broke 
open  some  kegs;  but  one  large  and  wicked-looking 
barrel  defied  their  best  strength.  A  student 
standing  by,  our  Nathan,  seized  an  axe  and  drove 
in  the  barrel-head,  and  was  fined  twenty-five  dol- 
lars next  day  for  destroying  private  property. 

The  good  works  of  good  women,  not  only  in  his 
college  days  but  on  the  mission  field,  appealed 
strongly  to  the  sympathy  of  Nathan  Sites. 

In  this,  his  spirit  was  only  typical  of  the  spirit 
of  co-operation  which  has  prevailed  from  the  be- 
ginning between  mission  boards  and  women's  so- 
cieties. 

When,  in  1846,  Rev.  J.  A.  Collins  wrote  to  his 
Mission  Board  of  his  convictions  and  missionary 
call  and  his  great  desire  to  be  sent  to  China,  they 
replied  that  they  had  no  money  to  organize  a  mis- 
sion in  China.    Then  he  wrote : 

iO» 


110 


THE  TBEBLE  NOTE 


"  Engage  me  a  passage  before  the  mast;  my 
o^  strong  arms  can  pull  me  to  China  and  sup- 
port  me  when  there. ' ' 

Such  earnestness  was  not  to  be  resisted.    He 
was  sent.    But  ihe  event  had  stirred  the  whole 
Church  and  one  of  the  effects  was  the  orgam^za- 
^T^^,!}"^  "  Woman's  China  Missionary  Society 
of  Baltimore,"   which   thereafter   worked   and 
prayed  especially  for  China.    This  society  sent 
annually  to  the  Mission  Board  a  contriKution  of 
three  or  four  hundred  dollars.    Some  years  later, 
however,  they  heard  a  pathetic  appeal  from  Dr 
Wentworth,  of  the  Foochow  mission.   He  pleaded 
for  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  girls'  school. 

Our  preaching,  because  of  native  customs, 
has  to  be  to  men,"  he  said,  "  and  only  now  and 
then  does  a  woman  dare  venture  within  the  sound 
of  the  gospel." 

The  Baltimore  ladies  responded  at  once  and  re- 

S  a""  it  "^^^  *^"  5^««^  *^<>  tl^««8a°d  five 
hundred  dollars  for  the  erection  of  a   school 

school  Soon  after  this  two  sisters,  the  Misses 
Woolston,  were  sent  out  to  superintend  the  new 
enterprise  for  teaching  girls  in  Foochow. 

Atter  ten  years  of  service,  in  1868,  the  Misses 
Woolston  went  home  on  furlough,  and  for  three 
years  the  conduct  of  the  school  devolved  upon  me 

cially  into  the  range  of  Mr.  Sites'  active  interest, 
and  he  gave  it  his  best  thought. 
In  this,  as  in  all  his  mission  work,  he  made  it 


i 
ll       f 


Where  East  and  West  Meet. 


'-■'-"-. -T)*-!'- ----.- -f'-' 


Crooning  the  Classics. 


THE  GIBLS'  DRILL  GROUND        111 

his  care  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  feelings  of  the 
Chinese  and  especially  to  know  what  the  preachers 
were  thinking.  He  advised  me  first  to  invite  all 
the  preachers  to  the  annual  closing  exercises. 
Great  were  their  wonder  and  delight  to  see  the 
girls  point  out  on  wall  maps  the  various  nations 
of  the  strange  barbarian  world. 

The  preachers  were  pleased,  and  full  of  praise 
for  the  work  of  the  Misses  Woolston.  These  de- 
voted ladies  had  opened  their  school  with  one  little 
girl ;  after  two  weeks  six  more  came,  of  whom  four 
were  soon  taken  home  again.  It  was  the  very  be- 
ginning, and  they  had  to  convince  China  that  it 
was  worth  while  to  teach  their  girls.  But  now 
after  ten  years  of  development,  the  preachers* 
ideals  had  outrun  those  of  their  teachers.  Geog- 
raphy and  numbers  and  the  Bible  in  the  colloquial 
— ^yes,  so  far  so  good.  But  something  was  want- 
ing. Their  girls  must  study  the  language  of  their 
classics  I 

Now  this,  from  the  orthodox  Chinese  point  of 
view,  was  rank  heresy.  The  opinion  of  Confucius 
in  regard  to  women  seems  to  have  been  generally 
accepted  and  held  by  the  Chinese  people.  He 
said : — 

'*  Women  are  human  beings,  but  they  are  of  a 
lower  state  than  men  and  can  never  attain  to 
equality  with  them." 

A  book  written  by  a  distinguished  scholar  of  the 
last  century  is  called  "  The  Female  Instructor." 
It  declares  the  only  necessary  thing  in  the  educa- 
tion of  woman  is  her  training  in  conduct,  and 


112 


THE  TEEBLE  NOTE 


from  first  to  last  the  thought  throughout  is  obe- 
dience and  entire  subjection  of  woman  to  her  male 
relatives.  One  of  the  earliest  books  on  the  sub- 
ject of  woman's  education  was  by  Lady  Tsao,  and 
the  important  features  which  she  emphasizes  may 
be  judged  by  such  chapter  headings  as,  **  The 
duties  of  a  woman  to  her  husband,"  "  The  unlim- 
ited respect  due  to  a  husband,"  *'  The  obedience 
due  to  a  husband  and  to  his  parents."  Such 
famous  books  of  instruction  as,  "  Classics  for 
"Women  "  and  **  Records  of  Illustrious  Women 
of  Ancient  Times  "  wielded  no  influence  on  the 
lives  of  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed, 
largely,  doubtless,  because  women  were  unable  to 
read. 

But  now,  by  the  transforming  power  of  the 
gospel,  by  thinking  on  high  things.  Christian 
parents,  and  especially  preachers,  had  begun  to 
glimpse  the  glory  of  enlightened  womanhood. 

Mr.  Sites  soon  secured  from  Hongkong  a  set 
of  Chinese  classical  readers  suitable  for  use  in  a 
girls*  school.  A  good  scholarly  teacher  was  en- 
gaged and  the  girls  began  to  get  that  grounding  in 
Chinese  scholarship  which  was  needed  to  make 
them  fit  to  be  teachers  in  their  turn. 

When  the  two  sisters  returned  to  take  up  the 
work,  Mr.  Sites  strongly  urged  upon  them  the 
importance  of  making  the  school  a  vital  interest 
of  the  growing  native  church.  He  suggested  the 
appointment  of  visiting  and  examining  commit- 
tees from  the  annual  meeting  of  preachers,  look- 
ing forward  to  a  time  when  the  Chinese  church 


;  I 


-'^-'-^ 


THE  GIBLS'  DEILL  GROUND        113 

shotQd  assume  the  expense  and  management  of 
the  entire  school. 

One  of  the  little  girls  who  was  early  in  the 
school,  a  member  of  a  noble  Christian  family,  is 
now  a  beloved  physician  in  Foochow  City.  An- 
other graduate  from  the  same  home  is  one  of  the 
prindpals  of  the  splendidly  equipped  Boarding 
School  of  to-day.  These  are  but  two  from  the 
scores  who  have  gone  out  into  spedai  service. 
And  all  over  the  province  thousands  of  love-lit 
homes  bespeak  the  blessing  that  has  followed  the 
prayers  and  pains  of  half  a  century  ago. 


xvn 

HIGH  FINANCE 

ONE  of  the  graduates  of  the  Boarding  School, 
the  first  year  we  had  it,  was  a  sweet  girl 
named  Bright-light.  She  lived  in  Teacher 
Sia's  home  village,  on  the  mountain,  back  of  Ox- 
vale.  A  number  of  families  in  the  village  had 
become  Christians  since  Teacher  Sia  had  been 
baptized.  Bright-light's  father  and  uncle  were 
members  of  the  little  village  church.  We  had 
impressed  upon  her  that  much  had  been  done  for 
her,  that  she  now  was  prepared  for  service  and 
that  she  must  teach  others  as  she  herself  had  been 
taught.  She  said  she  would  be  happy  to  teach  a 
day-school  of  the  little  girls  of  her  village  if  they 
could  be  induced  to  come :  but  there  seemed  little 
prospect  of  our  being  able  to  finance  a  school 
there,  even  if  we  could  find  pupils  willing  to 
attend. 

About  that  time  I  received  a  letter  from  one  of 
the  secretaries  in  New  York  of  the  newly  organ- 
ized "Woman's  Foreign  Mission  Society,  inclosing 
a  draft  for  one  hundred  dollars,  and  urging  that 
we  apply  it  to  some  special  work  for  women  and 
girls.  Was  not  this  the  chance  for  an  experiment 
hitherto  untried,  a  village  day-school  for  girls? 
Here  was  the  money  and  here  the  teacher. 


> 

IS 
U 


e 
o 


8, 

bo 

c 

I 


HIGH  FINANCE 


115 


Mr.  Sites  and  I  talked  with  her  father  and  tried 
to  make  plans,  hut  he  was  confident  that  there 
wonld  be  no  use  in  attempting  a  school  for  grls, 
as  thero  were  no  children  who  wonld  or  conld  at- 
tend.  The  heathen  families  wonld  not  permit 
their  children  to  come  and  the  Christians  had  no 
little  girls  who  conld  be  spared. 

**  Why  "  I  said,  "  yonr  brother  has  two  girls, 
seven  and  eight  years  old;  and  there  are  the 
Wongs  and  the  Diongs  and  the  Lees.' 

"  Oh,  they  all  work,"  he  said.  -  The  eight- 
ye  -  old  carries  her  baby  brother  on  her  back  aU 
di    that  her  mother  may  work  in  the  fields." 

'  Now,  Chnrch-uncle,"  I  said,  "  I  want  you  to 
go  through  the  village  and  tell  at  eve^  house 
about  this  proposed  school  for  little  girls.  Tell 
them  that  you  will  give  your  reception  hall  for 
a  schoolroom,  that  the  missionary  will  furnish 
the  books  and  pay  the  teacher,  and  that  each  child 
need  bring  only  a  table  and  a   small  bamboo 

"^  He  went  away  to  his  village  home,  twelve  miles 
up  the  mountain-side.     Within  a  week  he  was 
back  again.    He  had  done  as  I  said,  but  he  in- 
sist^^d  there  could  be  no  school.     All  the  little 
girls  had  to  work  and  none  could  be  spared.    One 
tiny  tot  I  mentioned  who  surely  need  not  work ! 
Oh,  yes,  she  had  to  watch  a  flock  of  ducks  and 
with  her  long  bamboo  rod  keep  them  near  the 
brook  and  safely  away  from  the  neighbor's  gar- 
den    Another  family  had  a  few  cattle,  and  if  their 
seven-year-old  Uttle  girl  did  not  keep  them  graz- 


iJ 


116 


THE  TREBLE  NOTE 


ing  on  the  hillside  they  would  break  into  \  iici^li 
bor's  field  and  eat  and  trample  the  growing  cro)>b 
and  then  tliere  would  be  a  village  quarrel. 

After  many  ingenious  and  plausible  excuses  had 
been  brought  forward,  he  finally  suggested  that 
if  I  gave  the  scholars  one  meal  a  day  it  might  be 
an  inducement;  but  I  could  not  manage  that. 
There  were  more  joumeyings  up  and  down  the 
mountain-side,  many  prayers  and  much  palaver. 
At  last  I  said: — 

"  If  you  can  get  a  school  of  twenty  little  girls 
between  six  and  thirteen  years  old  and  have  the 
teacher  keep  an  accurate  record  of  daily  attend- 
ance, I  will  give  each  child  ten  cash  [that  is,  one 
cent]  a  day,  and  I  will  oome  often  to  hear  them 
recite." 

He  went  home  with  this  new  proposition,  and 
directly  the  ardor  for  school  became  contagious. 
Soon  glowing  reports  came  to  me;  eighteen  little 
girls  were  promised,  and  the  school  commenced. 
A  few  weeks  later  I  was  on  my  way  up  the  moun- 
tain-side, eager  to  see  for  myself  the  new  venture. 
I  found  twenty  little  girls  each  seated  at  her  table, 
her  book  open  before  her,  reading  at  the  top  of 
her  voice  in  the  customary  Chinese  style.  As  I 
heard  them  recite,  one  after  another,  i  was 
amazed  at  the  rapidity  and  exactness  they  had  ac- 
quired. They  were  using  the  usual  beginners' 
Three  Character  Classic — a  Christian  book — and 
also  a  Girls'  Three  Character  Classic,  a  native  or 
heathen  book  which  I  had  made  over,  expurgating 
all  the  sentences  which  were  objectionable.    The 


I 

i 

•  art 


> 


HIGH  FINANCE 


117 


Hymnal,  the  Catechism,  and  the  Gospels  were 
added  as  the  months  went  by.  The  children  made 
such  commendable  progress  that,  except  for  the 
principle  involved,  I  did  not  much  regret  having  to 
carry  up  the  basket  of  cash  every  month. 

The  dignified  little  teacher  was  a  success.  She 
was  bright  and  also  tactful,  and  her  pupils  were 
well  trained  both  in  their  books  and  in  good  man- 
ners. Being  a  Christian  she  led  her  little  flock  to 
the  chapel  to  the  church  service  and  to  Sunday- 
school  each  week. 

This  was  the  very  first  day  school  for  girls  sup- 
ported by  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  I  was  proud  of  its  success  and  influence. 
WitMn  a  few  years  villages  on  every  hand  were 
asking  for  girls'  day  schools,  even  faster  than  the 
Boarding  School  could  turn  out  students  pre- 
pared to  teach,  and  no  reward  was  asked  or  ex- 
pected for  attendance. 

To-day  in  the  hill  villages  of  Bonniebum  and 
the  wild  cities  by  the  sea,  thousands  of  sweet  girl 
voices  are  crooning  the  classics,  and  hundreds  are 
thronging  into  our  boarding  schools,  to  become  the 
cultured  Christian  teachers  and  mothers  of  to- 
morrow. 


I 


xvm 


GROUND-BREAKING 


LAST  fall  a  novel  event  in  college  history  oc- 
j  cnrred  on  a  commanding  hillside  ontside 
the  dty  of  Foochow.  College  functions 
are  likely  to  follow  beaten  paths;  -out  this  was 
different. 

It  was  a  quiet  early  morning  ceremonial. 
A  group  of  merry  girls,  each  with  a  carrying- 
pole  over  her  shoulder  gaily  decked  in  college 
colors,  and  wicker  baskets  hanging  from  the 
pole  in  true  coolie  fashion,  entered  the  inclos- 
ure  that  is  to  be  their  campus,  and  with  happy 
earnestness,  carried  away  the  first  spadefuls  of 
earth  from  the  spot  where  is  to  stand  the  Woman's 
College  of  South  China.  Their  eager  enthusiasm, 
as  they  worked,  rang  true  to  the  spirit  of  college 
girls  who  do  things  all  round  the  world. 

In  half  an  hour  they  went  quietly  back  to  their 
lessons,  at  the  preparatory  school  down  under  the 
hill.  But  the  stroke  of  the  spades  upon  the  hill- 
side stones  had  sounded  out  a  message  of  hope  for 
the  girls  clustered  in  schoolrooms  all  over  the 
province, — in  Clearwater  and  Oldfield,  and  Yen- 
ping  above  the  rapids,  and  away  in  the  mountain 
fastnesses  beyond  Hinghua.    It  seemed  to  usher 

118 


GROUND-BREAKINa 


119 


in  the  hour  when  all  that  the  college  world  has 
done  to  make  life  rich  and  beautiful  for  the  women 
of  the  West  shall  be  shared  by  their  sisters  in 
China. 

Just  at  the  dawn  of  China's  day  of  freedom, 
there  in  the  sight  of  a  great  company  of  Chris- 
tians, the  cornerstone  of  the  new  college  was  laid. 
It  was  like  a  glorious  promise  from  the  Church 
of  Christ  to  the  China  that  is  to  be— the  promise 
of  a  womanhood  noble  and  lovely  beyond  her 
dreams. 


ti 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


"  Jt  ia  people  that  count.  Tou  voont  to  put 
yourself  into  people;  they  touch  other  people; 
thete,  others  still,  and  so  you  go  on  working 
forever." 

AUCK  FBXEXAi;  FALMIB. 


^ 


XIX 


A  BUCCANEEB  APOSTLE 

ON  a  Monday  morniiig  two  missionarieB  came 
down  to  the  beach  of  a  little  harbor  on  the 
Hokchiang  coast  and  boarded  a  fishing- 
smack  to  go  over  to  the  Island  of  the  Sonthern 
Sun.  No  foreigner  had  ever  visited  this  island— 
at  least  not  with  intent.  If  any  luckless  mariner 
from  the  West  may  have  been  thrown  upon  its 
shores  by  stress  of  weather,  he  rued  the  day. 
Like  many  another  primitive  community  on 
that  barren  coast,  the  people  of  Nan-nik  make 
good  the  lack  of  their  fisheries  by  piracy.  In 
this  they  showed  their  kinship  to  communities 
on  barren  coasts  in  more  than  one  Christian 

land. 

But  on  this  day  the  fishing-smack  was  waiting 
expressly  to  carry  these  two  foreigners  to  the 
island  as  guests.  There  was  a  balmy  breeze,  but 
the  captain  advised  delay;  he  knew  the  breeze 
was  freshening  into  a  nor-easter.  The  mission- 
aries were  Americans  and,  having  set  out,  argued 
for  going  on.  The  captain  was  a  Christian  and 
he  pelded. 

Our  hope — says  the  Journal — ^was  to  make  the 
twenty-seven  miles  across  before  darkness  settled 


(I 


124 


THE  CHUBCH  MILITANT 


npon  US.  First,  we  crossed  a  beautiful  inlet  of  the 
sea,  sailing  smoothly  before  the  wind  for  about 
ten  miles;  we  enjoyed  it  and  thought  we  were  fine 
sailors.  The  bay  flows  out  through  a  passage 
where  stands  an  immense  pile  of  rocks  in  the 
middle,  serving  as  a  waymark  for  seamen.  Now, 
we  enter  the  open  sea,  and  far  ahead  we  sight 
islands  which,  we  are  told,  are  half-way  across  to 
our  desired  haven.  The  wind  grows  stronger,  the 
waves  higher;  whitecaps  are  flying,  and  our  boat 
is  skipping  over  them  or  ploughing  through  the 
next  big  wave.  I  saw  and  felt  that  we  were  in 
danger  but  I  trusted  in  the  Lord.  The  captain 
called  out,  "  Beef  topsail!  "  and  down  it  came 
three  or  four  feet.  Dr.  Maclay  had  gone  below. 
He  had  expressed  the  hope  that  our  journey  across 
might  all  be  as  smooth  as  the  ten-mile  bay  at  the 
beginning;  I  had  wished  for  something  more  lively 
and  now  we  were  having  it  1 

As  the  boat  continued  its  fantastic  dance,  I  re- 
membered that  I  had  in  my  valise  a  queer  rubber 
vest,  a  life  preserver,  with  tube  and  ocrew  and 
all  necessary  attachments,  which  my  dear  wife 
had  reinforced  with  straps  and  tape  for  just  such 
an  emergency  as  this.  I  went  down  to  get  it,  and 
found  Dr.  Maclay  wishing  he  had  not  come.  He 
asked : — 

"  Well,  how  do  you  like  this  saiUngt  " 

I  blew  up  my  queer  vest  until  it  was  so  dis- 
tended I  hardly  knew  myself,  and  replied  :— 

"  Oh,  this  suits  me  well." 

I  returned  to  the  deck  to  see  and  to  wonder  as 


A  BUCCANEER  APOSTLE 


125 


the  waves  tossed  our  little  craft  higher  and  higher. 
Again  the  order  was  heard,  *•  Reef  saill  *' 

The  half-way  islands  draw  nearer;  we  pass 
them,  flying  at  great  speed,  and  in  the  dim  dis- 
tance we  see  the  hills  on  our  desired  island.  The 
wind  freshens,  the  heavens  look  foreboding  as  if 
to  envelop  us  in  darkness,  but  on  we  drive.  The 
captain  calls  to  us: — 

"All's  well!  Wind  and  waves  just  right! 
The  Lord  is  about  us,  to  protect  us." 

Surely  we  are  favored  to  sail  under  such  a 
crew.  It  is  past  four  o'clock.  The  misty  heavens 
look  grandly  gloomy.  On  we  go.  It  is  September 
and  the  afternoons  are  long.  Now,  we  are  off  the 
northwest  end  of  our  island,  and  sheltered.  It  is 
quite  dark  as  we  come  to  anchor  in  the  surf  break- 
ing over  a  soft,  sandy  bottom.  Two  of  our  big 
boatmen  come  wading  alongside  of  the  boat,  and 
turning  their  broad  shoulders,  invite  us  to  mount 
and  ^0  carried  to  dry  land.  Christians  from  the 
villag  had  been  on  the  lookout  but  scarcely  ex- 
pecting us;  now  they  came  running  with  their 
lanterns  to  lead  us  along  the  narrow,  uncertain 
path  to  the  chapel. 

From  this  island,  a  few  years  before,  had  fared 
forth  one  of  the  toughest  of  the  pirate  band, 
bound  for  Foochow  to  see  the  world.  One  day  as 
he  was  strolling  about  the  crowded  thororighfare 
of  that  flourishing  metropolis,  he  heard  preaching 
in  a  street  chapel.  He  walked  directly  up  in  front 
of  the  speaker  and  listened  intently.  He  asked 
questions  about  what  was  said,  and  at  first  seemed 


126 


THE  CHURCH  MH^ITANT 


eager  to  argae.  The  preacher  was  Chinese;  but 
a  new  missionary,  by  name  Binkley,  was  nomi- 
nally in  charge.  He  had  not  yet  learned  to  speak 
the  language,  but  he  was  so  impressed  by  the 
earnest  manner  of  this  vagrant  listener,  that  he 
invited  him,  after  the  meeting,  to  walk  over  the 
hill,  home  with  him,  where  older  missionaries 
conld  tell  him  more  of  this  "Jesus  doctrine." 

I  can  never  forget  my  questioning  surprise  on 
suddenly  seeing  this  apparition, — so  rough  and 
untidy, — as  he  that  day  followed  Mr.  Binkley  into 
our  study,  while  at  the  same  time  my  husband 
arose  and  approached  him  with  a  kindly  greeting 
and  a  smile  of  welcome. 

He  was  ready  to  admit  that  by  profession  he 
was  a  necromancer  and  teacher  of  boxing.  More, 
he  was  an  opium  fiend;  that  was  written  on  his 
face  and  hands!  Mr.  Sites  reached  for  his  Chi- 
nese New  Testament  and  found  that  the  man  could 
read.  We  put  him  under  Christian  instruction. 
He  seemed  to  apprehend  and  eagerly  apply  these 
new  truths.  Having  decided  that  he  must  be  a 
Christian,  his  first  step  was  to  give  up  the  use 
of  opium.  This  was  a  struggle  almost  to  the  point 
of  despair.  But,  by  unceasing  prayer,  daily  en- 
couragement, nourishing  food  and  helpful  sur- 
roundings, after  a  few  weeks  his  victory  was  com- 
plete. Later  he  was  placed  under  the  care  of  a 
missionary,  where  be  was  taught  and  trained 
faithfully  and  successfully.  Thus  began  the 
Christian  life  and  work  of  one  who  became  a 
veritable  Peter.   When  Christian  light  had  taken 


mmm 


A  BUCCANEER  APOSTLE 


127 


possession  of  him,  he  wanted  to  do  nothing  but 
study  the  Bible,  pray,  sing  and  talk  of  his  new- 
found religion.  He  committed  to  memory  every- 
thing that  he  read,  and  in  a  few  months  could  re- 
peat more  Scripture  than  most  chur  h  members  in 
Christian  lands. 

Within  two  years  after  he  had  first  heard  the 
gospel,  he  was  given  "  exhorier's  license,"  and 
allowed  to  go  back  to  his  native  piratical  island, 
that  he  might  carry  the  Christ  message  to  his  own 
home  and  kindred  and  people.    His  two  sons  he 
sent  at  once  to  our  Foochow  Boys'  School.    His 
wife,  sons  and  daughters  all  became  Christians. 
Soon  a  great  interest  awakened  under  his  preach- 
ing.   He  had  remarkable  power  in  winning  people 
from  their  heathen  gods;  hundreds  were  received 
into  the  church  on  probation.    His  zeal  and  his 
very  love  for  the  brethren  sometimes  outran  his 
discretion  and  brought  upon  him  imprisonment 
and  cruel  beatings  from  Chinese  officials.    He  wel- 
comed the  blessing  of  those  "  who  are  persecuted 
for  righteousness'  sake,"  having  **  endured  trials 
of  mockings  and  scourgings,  yea,  moreover,  of 
bonds  and  imprisonment."    I  remember  seeing 
him  once,  when  we  had  secured  his  release  from 
prison.    He  was  brought  from  Hinghua  to  Foo- 
chow, all  bruised  with  stripes,  and  cut  with  thongs 
and  looking  scarcely  alive.   But  in  it  all,  he  could 
say: — 

"  None  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count 
I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  may  testify 
to  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God." 


128 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


Immediately  upon  hie  recovery  he  was  again 
in  the  work;  reports  reached  ns  from  the  island 
of  his  convincing  eloquence.  Up  to  this  time  the 
wonderful  spread  of  Uie  gospel  in  that  island  had 
been  wholly  without  the  help  of  any  missionary; 
the  good  man  had  worked  single-handed.  Dr. 
Maolay  and  Mr.  Sites  now  felt  they  must  visit  Mr. 
Ling  and  learn  more  definitely  the  nature  of  the 
work  he  was  doing.  And  thus  it  came  about  that 
they  started  across  the  stormy  channel  on  that 
Monday  morning. 

Now  we  were  here — continues  the  Diary — at 
last,  and  good  Brother  Ling  was  among  the  first 
to  meet  and  greet  us.  As  we  entered  the  yard, 
his  little  daughter  clasped  my  hand  in  both  of 
hers,  and  led  us  into  the  chapel,  while  welcomes 
and  greetings  were  shouted  on  all  sides. 

It  seemed  worth  coming  across  not  merely  a 
stormy  strait  but  an  ocean,  to  stand  in  the  midst 
of  that  island  and  to  see  what  God  had  wrought 
through  the  pirate  of  other  days.  The  chapel  was 
thronged.  We  spoke  in  the  Foocbow  dialect,  and 
Mr.  Ling  interpreted.  When  he  closed  with  an 
earnest,  pleading  prayer,  the  Holy  Spirit  was  so 
present,  enlightening  us,  that  I  could  understand 
nearly  all  he  said. 

Dr.  Maclay,  writing  of  this  island,  a  year  or 
two  later,  said : "  Nan-nik  is  a  sort  of  Galilee  from 
which  the  Lord  is  calling  the  fishermen  to  go,  and 
henceforth  catch  men."  Out  of  this  barren  island 
and  home  of  piracy  came  many  men  who  were 
taught  and  then  sent  to  preach  to  the  teeming  pop- 


k 


Among  the  blaok  rocks,  on  a  quiet  hillside. 

near   the   church    he   last   served. 


A  BUCCANEER  APOSTLE 


129 


Illation  on  the  mainland  of  Hinghua.  The  dialect 
being  different  from  that  of  Fooehow,  this  source 
of  supply  seemed  a  special  providence  for  the  de- 
velopment of  that  fruitful  field.  Of  the  hundreds 
brought  into  the  Church  through  the  ministry  of 
Ling  Cing  Ding,  no  less  than  twenty  became  in 
turn  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

This  man,  as  you  know,  was  one  of  our  Seven 
first  ordained  to  the  ministry.  For  sixteen  years 
Elder  Ling  rendered  heroic  service.  His  last  ap- 
pointment was  to  a  church  up  among  the  hills  on 
the  mainland.  He  was  then  just  recovering  from 
a  severe  illness  at  his  island  home.  He  said  to  his 
son: — 

**  I  know  I  am  not  yet  strong,  and  I  think  I 
may  never  get  well,  but  I  must  go  to  my  work.  I 
should  not  die  happy  away  from  my  postl  " 

He  came  over  and  reached  his  appointment 
only  to  die ;  he  was  buried  among  the  black  rocks 
on  a  quiet  hillside  near  the  church  he  last  served. 

The  young  man  who  led  the  pirate-inquirer  into 
our  study  on  that  day  of  destiny  was  able  to  stay 
hardly  more  than  a  year  in  China.  lie  never 
really  mastered  the  language.  He  never  preached 
an  '*  Annual  Sermon."  But  if  his  crown  in 
heaven  has  only  one  star,  that  star  is  a  galaxy  t 


XX 


COMEADES  OF  THE  CROSS 


IN  China  as  in  Jndea,  a  time  of  trimnph  for 
the  Church  is  likely  to  be  followed  by  a  time 
of  trial.  Not  long  after  onr  seven  deacons 
had  been  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  a 
great  persecution  arose;  and  though  none  of  our 
seven  suffered  martyrdom,  they  all  endured  hard- 
ness. Persecutions,  like  the  poor,  are  always 
present  in  the  planting  of  the  Church.  Even  now, 
the  believer  has  times  of  trial ;  but  those  were  the 
times  that  tried  men's  souls,  not  singly  but  in 
wide  communities. 

In  1870  and  1871  all  China  was  in  ferment  over 
the  foreigner  and  his  strange  teaching.  Far  in- 
land wheiQ  the  one  had  not  been  seen  nor  the  other 
heard,  rumor  made  both  monstrous  beyond  words. 
Women  shuddered  and  men  gathered  in  mobs.  The 
massacre  of  the  French  nuns  at  Tientsin  and  the 
famous  placards  at  Canton  were  only  the  extreme 
expression  of  a  general  craze. 

In  Fukien,  wherever  the  Church  had  been  es- 
tablished, native  Christians  were  the  objects  of 
threats  or  violence.  To  the  native  pastors  it  was 
a  time  of  testing  and  tempering.  In  many  in- 
stances it  brought  out  the  true  hero.  A  typical 
experience  was  that  of  our  friend  Elder  Sia. 

180 


COMRADES  OF  THE  CROSS         131 

At  Hokchiang  City,  where  he  was  in  charge, 
there  had  been  considerable  excitement  for  some 
weeks.  Elder  Sia  was  unremitting  in  his  efforts 
to  protect  the  Christians.  Night  and  day  he  was 
engaged  in  hearing  complaints,  giving  advice,  ad- 
ministering con  olation,  writing  letters  to  dis- 
tant points  on  his  district,  or  going  in  person  to 
the  scene  of  some  recent  outrage  to  give  assistance 
to  the  persecuted  Christians.  These  efforts  had 
been  so  successful,  he  began  to  hope  that  the 
church  in  the  city  would  not  be  molested.  Early 
one  morning,  however,  he  was  informed  by  a 
friend  that  a  plot  had  been  laid,  to  attack  the 
Christians  and  tear  down  the  chapel  that  day. 
During  the  previous  night,  inflammatory  placards 
had  been  posted  throughout  the  city.  The  danger 
was  so  imminent,  and  had  been  sprung  again  so 
suddenly  that  the  Christians  were  utterly  con- 
founded. Sia  saw  the  grave  character  of  the 
emergency  and  determined  to  do  all  in  his  power 
to  avert  the  danger.  The  brethren  soon  caught  his 
resolute  spirit,  and  after  a  brief  season  of  consul- 
tation and  prayer,  they  laid  their  plans. 

First,  they  applied  for  protection  to  the  con- 
stable of  the  ward.    He  said: — 

"  Thery  is  no  one  to  assist  me.  What  can  I  do 
against  the  whole  cityT  " 

Then  they  applied  to  the  owner  of  the  premises 
they  occupied  as  a  chapel,  a  man  of  considerable 
influence  in  the  city.  He  declined  to  help  them, 
assigning  reasons  similar  to  those  offered  by  tbe 
constable.   Disappointed  and  almost  disheartened, 


Ml 


132 


THE  CHURCH  MH^ITANT 


the  brethren   were 
despair.     Again 


now  disposed   to 
Sia  rallied  them, 


some  of 
give  up  in 
saying: — 

**  Men  may  forsake  us,  bnt  God  can  deliver;  let 
US  pray." 

All  engaged  in  earnest  prayer  to  God  for  guid- 
ance. When  they  arose  from  their  knees,  Sia 
said: — 

"  Brethren,  let  us  appeal  directly  to  the  gov- 
ernment." 

He  addressed  a  petition  to  the  magistrate,  and, 
accompanied  by  some  of  the  brethren,  took  it 
straight  to  the  magistrate's  palace.  It  happened 
that  the  magistrate  was  absent,  but  the  deputy  in 
charge  received  the  paper,  and  on  reading  its  con- 
tents, seemed  immediately  to  appreciate  the  just- 
ness of  the  appeal.  Instead  of  delaying  for  his 
superior's  return,  he  approved  the  petition  at 
once,  and  issued  orders  to  meet  the  emergency. 
Calling  for  the  constable  of  the  ward,  he  ordered 
him  to  go  through  the  streets  of  the  city  and  warn 
the  people  against  committing  any  acts  of  vio- 
lence. He  also  sent  a  guard  of  soldiers  to  take 
charge  of  the  chapel.  All  the  Christians  felt  that 
God  had  heard  their  prayers  and  had  sent  them 
deliverance.  No  further  threats  were  made,  nor 
was  a  finger  lifted  against  the  chapel. 

Coming  up  to  the  Annual  Meeting  that  year,  the 
preachers  showed  deep  emotion  in  greeting  one 
another,  and  again  and  again  sang,  **  And  are  we 
yet  alive?  "  Many  of  them  had  been  in  extreme 
peril.    Some  of  them  had  been  shamefully  abused. 


aaai 


COMRADES  OF  THE  CBOSS         133 

One  was  beaten,  partly  stripped  of  his  clothing, 
and  thrown  over  a  precipice,  where  he  was  left  to 
die.  When  he  recovered  consciousness  he  crept 
on  his  hands  and  knees  along  a  narrow  path,  in 
a  gully,  until  he  reached  a  chapel  in  the  next 
village. 

One  who  had  been  compelled  by  circumstances 
to  play  a  brilliant  part  in  this  drama  of  distress 
was  young  Deacon  Yek,  the  youngest  of  the  Seven, 
and  one  of  Mr.  Sites*  helpers  on  pioneer  tours. 
Since  his  ordination  he  had  been  pastor  of  a 
chapel  on  a  far  frontier.  There  lies  before  me  as 
I  write,  a  rough  transcript  of  his  words  at  the 
love-feast  that  year,  as  taken  down  by  one  who 
loved  him  as  a  son  and  rejoiced  in  his  valiant 
record.   He  said : — 

**  I  am  delighted  to  be  here.  My  charge  is  one 
hundred  and  forty  miles  from  this  place.  During 
the  year  we  have  had  sore  trials.  The  enemy 
came  upon  us  like  a  lion,  but  the  Lord  delivered 
us.  We  have  heard  of  your  troubles  too  and  we 
have  prayed  for  you.  We  have  all  been  kept  from 
fatal  injury.  Here  we  are  to-day,  joyful  in  the 
house  of  our  God.  Let  us  praise  Him.  Our  trials 
have  done  us  good;  they  have  been  beneficial  to 
our  cause.  By  them  the  truth  has  been  spread 
everywhere,  and  many  difficulties  have  been  re- 
moved. Hundreds  have  been  brought  to  hear 
something  of  the  name  of  Jesus  and  of  the  Jesus 
religion.  The  rich  and  the  poor,  rulers  and  people, 
all  have  been  led  to  ask,  *  What  is  this  commotion 
about? '    In  the  mountain  hamlet,  in  the  crowded 


mm 


134  THE  CHUBCH  MILITANT 

city,  on  every  hilltop  and  through  every  valley, 
people  have  heard  of  Jesus'  name. 

"  Heretofore  difficulties  met  us  at  every  step. 
The  worship  of  village  idols,  sacrifices  to  ances- 
tors and  the  untold  superstitions  of  the  people 
have  made  it  impossible  to  get  the  religion  of 
Jesus  before  their  minds.  These  many  difficulties 
which  we  have  had  to  meet  may  well  be  compared 
to  the  many  hard  knots  and  joints  in  the  bamboo. 
It  is  hard  to  split.  You  get  past  one  joint,  then 
comes  another  and  another  and  you  are  almost 
baffled  in  the  attempt  to  get  through  it.  But  now 
God  has,  with  one  stroke,  cleft  the  bamboo  from 
top  to  bottom.  When  milder  agencies  fail,  God 
sends  abroad  the  thunder  of  His  power.  He 
strikes  terror  into  the  hearts  of  all,  cuts  through 
obstacles,  and  sweeps  away  the  refuges  of  lies. 
He  breaks  every  yoke,  snaps  every  chain,  and  bids 
the  oppressed  go  free.  But,  alas,  alas,  my  breth- 
ren there  is  one  aspect  of  this  subject  that  fills 
me  with  inexpressible  sorrow.  When  God  thus 
wonderfully  helps  His  cause,  I  see  a  disposition, 
even  among  Christians,  to  give  the  glory  to  man, 
rather  than  to  God  to  whom  it  belongs.  They 
praise  the  human  agent  and  forget  Him  who  hath 
done  it  all.  I  feel  like  kneeling  down  right  here 
and  praying  God  to  save  us  from  this  sin." 

At  this  point  the  heroic  young  preacher's  feel- 
ings overcame  him  and  he  sat  down,  while  ahnost 
the  entire  audience  was  in  tears. 


XXI 


COMMISSAEIAT 

THE  Church  was  now  in  a  measnTe  self- 
administered :  it  had  a  few  regularly  or- 
dained native  pastors.  Would  it  also  now 
begin  to  be  self-sustaining?  Would  these  pastors, 
when  appointed  to  definite  congregations,  look 
to  them  for  financial  support? 

•*  The  more  rapidly  you  approach  self-sup- 
port," Bishop  Kingsley  had  said  to  the  preachers, 
«'  the  more  rapidly  people  will  be  converted  and 
the  more  \'igorously  the  Church  will  grow.  The 
whole  world  is  God's.  He  gives  it  to  us  to  use; 
and  those  who  use  it  for  Him  are  prospered  and 
have  the  more  to  give. ' ' 

The  ideal  of  self-support  had  been  talked  and 
taught  in  the  native  Church  from  its  very  begin- 
ning, and  the  Christians  had  been  urged  to  con- 
tribute according  tc  their  means.  Now  it  became 
a  live  issue. 

The  principle  adopted  was  to  estimate  the  finan- 
cial ability  of  each  circuit,  founded  on  the  amount 
contributed  the  previous  year;  the  Mission  v/ould 
then  make  a  definite  appropriation  of  foreign 
funds  necessary  to  bring  each  preacher's  salary 
up  to  the  sum  required  for  his  support. 

136 


136 


i\ 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


Among  the  preachers  there  was  not  unanimity 
of  thought  on  the  subject.  Indeed,  there  was  much 
opposition  to  the  plan  among  the  native  Chris- 
tians, many  declaring  that  the  Methodist  Church 
would  be  broken  up  and  absorbed  by  other  de- 
nominations if  the  project  were  further  pressed. 

Even  Elder  Ling,  who  had  suffered  cruel  per- 
secution in  planting  the  Church  in  his  pirate 
island,  said: — 

"  It  is  too  soon  to  require  this;  wait  until  the 
rich  are  converted,  until  some  of  the  Chinese  oflS- 
cers  are  members  of  the  Church." 

Others  chimed  in : — 

**  Yes,  only  the  poor  are  now  church  members." 

The  Son  of  Thunder,  while  wishing  the  best  for 
the  Church,  was,  in  this  matter,  inclined  to  be 
belligerent.  In  fact,  before  his  conversion  he  had 
been  a  military  oflScer.  I  remember  the  day  when 
he  came  into  our  study  in  Foochow,  full  of  criti- 
cism of  the  plan  of  self-support.  He  walked  the 
floor,  gesticulating  and  talking  in  a  passionate 
voice.  Mr.  Sites  sat  quietly  listening,  giving  him 
all  the  time  he  wanted.  When  his  turbulent  feel- 
ings were  pretty  well  spent,  the  missionary 
said: — 

**  Let  us  kneel  together  and  ask  God  for  grace 
and  wisdom  to  know  and  to  do  His  will." 

They  knelt;  in  half  a  minute  the  recalcitrant 
was  penitent,  and  was  soon  praying  for  forgive- 
ness, with  a  cry  tiat  could  be  heard  all  over  the 
house. 

From  the  time  he  began  preaching.  Teacher  Sia 


COMMISSARIAT 


137 


had  favored  the  principle  of  8elf-8ui)port,  on  the 
ground  that  it  was  reasonable  and  right. 

"  Who  can  tell  how  long  we  must  wait?  "  he 
said.  **  The  Church  will  never  act  until  a  be- 
ginning is  made.  Nor  can  we  say  to  our  people, 
*  Here,  I'm  your  preacher.  Feed  and  clothe  me 
and  my  family.'  No,  we  must  willingly  suffer 
want;  must  for  a  time,  perchance,  be  destitute; 
then  having  served  in  the  Christ  spirit,  making 
sacrifices,  we  shall  see  our  native  Christians,  even 
out  of  poverty,  joyfully  coming  up  to  their  duty." 

Such  words,  with  the  added  heroic  sacrifice  he 
was  actually  making  at  the  time,  in  order  to  carry 
out  the  principle,  carried  conviction.  One  evening 
Elder  Sia  requested  Mr.  Sites  to  come  to  the  par- 
sonage for  a  quiet  confidential  conversation.  I 
found — says  the  Journal — that  he  wanted  to  con- 
sult with  me  about  his  being  entirely  released 
from  foreign  money;  at  the  same  time  he  would 
take  his  appointment  from  the  Bishop  as  any 
other  preacher  does.  He  suggested  that  he  might 
look  to  the  native  Church  only  for  support,  or  he 
could  engage  in  some  work  by  which  to  support 
himself  and  yet  ^ve  much  time  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  as  Paul  did.  He  told  me  how,  after 
preaching  to  a  miscellaneous  crowd,  he  was  often 
contemptuously  asked: — 

**  How  much  does  the  foreigner  pay  you  for 
speaking  those  fine  words!  " 

He  said,  while  he  was  willing  to  bear  reproach 
for  Christ's  sake,  he  wanted  in  his  inner  con- 
science to  feel  free.    We  turned  the  question  over 


138 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


t.  go  t.  Hi,  Lord"  In  th^*;;  er      «  r'f''^ 
seeded  Plain  and  easy.  butUn  IfteH  /4'  th 

t.iV     "'^^l  '"'«'"'  '<•  "•<""•  «found  me  and  ^v 
faith  was  sorely  tried.    I  cried  '  jZa  ^. 

and,  blessed  be  God,  He  hearTme    Wher/r' 
to  mv  wnrir    K-:«  •  ^"*'juie.    w  Ben  1  came 

pro^^ctTa;  ve™Trk""/rrn^  T?  "«•  "■<> 
yon  all  mv  trial,     TS'i  ^      ""  ""^  '"■^  '»  *«!! 

and  unaceoSwe    '^'°  """'  T^'  """P^"'*-* 
manna  from  H^ven    nl''*^*''  '"  ^'"^  "''« 

prayer.    Some  persons  have  said  to  me   '  What 


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COMMISSARIAT 


139 


not  expect  them  to  fail,  but  if  they  do  fail,  if  I 
find  before  me  no  open  door,  I  shall  just  stand 
still  and  looking  up  to  ray  Saviour  say,  *  Lord, 
whither  wilt  Thou  lead  me? '  " 

When  I  read  reports  to-day  of  the  wonderful 
spirit  of  giving,  and  the  loyal  support  of  native 
pastors,  particularly  in  Hinghua  and  Hokchiang, 
T  recall  those  far-gone  days.  I  think  of  the  foun- 
dations laid  at  that  time  in  agony  of  soul  and 
prayers  and  tears,  as  the  cornerstone  upon  which' 
a  symmetrical  church  is  now  rising. 


xxn 


LARGER  STRATEGY 


"  We  are  the  muaio  riakera, 

And  toe  are  the  dreamers  of  dreamt. 
Wandering  by  lone  aea-breakera, 

And  sitting  by  desolate  streams; — 
World-losers  and  world-forsakers. 

On  whom  the  pale  moon  gleaimi: 

let  vie  are  the  movers  and  shakers 

Of  the  world  forever,  it  seems." 

O'SHAUGHNESST. 

THE  missionaries  at  Foochow  had  been 
studying  the  map.  They  had  also  been 
reading  the  newspapers,  such  as  there  were, 
— and  newspapers  published  in  China,  in  English, 
of  course,  were  infinitely  better,  even  then,  than 
books  on  China  for  putting  one  in  touch  with  the 
situation. 

The  books  on  China  of  that  day  were  still  mostly 
fairy  tales.  Maps  were  not  greatly  improved 
over  those  in  which  **  Chinese  Tartary  "  used  to 
be  shewn  as  bordered  by  a  fringe  of  grifl5ns  and 
dragons. 

East  and  West  were  still  East  and  West.  The 
Mandarin  at  Bonnieburn  getting  his  first  lesson 
about  the  terrestrial  globe  on  the  missionary's 
teacup,  was  hardly  more  in  need  of  light  than 
missionary  secretrries  in  New  York,  when  the 

140 


LARGER  STRATEGY 


141 


question  was  the  location  of  a  new  mission  in 
China. 

But  the  secretaries  were  men  of  loyalty  and 
faith.  When  our  Foochow  Mission,  like  many 
another  mission  in  that  time  of  opportunity,  urged 
an  advance,  our  secretaries  set  about  finding  the 
means  to  make  it. 

The  opportunity  had  come  with  the  opening  of 
Peking  and  the  Yangtze  Valley  in  consequence  of 
the  Arrow  War  in  1858  and  the  treaties  of  1860. 
Mr.  Sites  had  been  sent  out  in  view  of  this  very 
opportunity.  But  the  American  war  for  the 
Union  had  intervened  and  neither  men  nor  money 
could  be  had  for  new  work.  The  year  after  the 
war  ended,  two  new  men  were  appointed  to  our 
mission. 

They  were  the  last  to  come  out  by  sailing  vessel, 
around  the  Cape.  By  the  same  token  they  were 
the  last,  perhaps,  to  be  received  with  that  lavish 
joy  which  marks  tho  child's  anticipation  of  suc- 
cessive Christmases  at  an  age  when  Christmases 
are  few  and  far  between.  Letters  sent  home,  at 
the  time,  record  in  naive  detail  every  incident  and 
aspect  of  the  new  arrivals. 

* '  We  were  engaged  in  the  services  of  our  quar- 
terly meeting," — so  runs  one  letter, — **  and  had 
just  enjoyed  an  excellent  love-feast;  four  Chinese 
had  been  admitted  to  baptism  and  to  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  Christian  Church;  a  missionary  had 
preached  and  the  members  of  the  church  were  en- 
gaged in  joyfully  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper, 
when   our  beloved   Prother   Sites   entered   the 


142  THE  CHURCH  MHilTANT 

church  and  passed  up  the  aisle,  followed  by  a 
strange  gentleman.  AU  eyes  were  fastened  on 
the  stranger  and  at  the  first  interlude  in  the  serv- 
ices  we  had  the  delightful  privilege  of  welcoming 
our  long-expected,  long-prayed-for  Brother  Hart. 

"Brother  Wheeler's  arrival  was  also  attended 
with  the  most  propitious  circumstances.  The 
members  of  the  Mission  had  met  at  the  usual  time 
and  place,  for  their  monthly  business  session,  and 
had  deliberated  in  love  and  harmony  concerning 
the  interests  of  our  work,  had  been  unanimous  in 
every  decision  made  and  had  closed  the  meeting 
teeling  '  How  good  and  how  pleasant  a  thing  it  is 
for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity.'  Just  as 
we  separated.  Brother  Wheeler  and  his  family 
entered  our  Miasion  compound,  and  with  gratitude 
we  welcomed  them  to  their  new  home  in  this  East- 
ern land.  The  Chinese  Christiana  gave  him  a  joy- 
ful  greeting,  and  he  was  deeply  moved  as  he  list- 
ened that  evening  to  our  Chinese  brethren  heartily 
singing  the  good  old  tunes  of  his  native  land." 

Mr.  Sites  strongly  favored  the  policy  of  send- 
mg  only  men  with  some  experience  in  a  mission 
held  to  open  new  work.  It  was  understood  that 
these  two  men,  after  a  sufficient  period  of  appren- 
ticeship  at  Foochow,  should  be  sent  to  begin  the 
new  missions.  Accordingly,  Hart  was  appointed 
to  Central  China  in  1867  and  Wheeler  to  Peking 

No  spies  returning  from  Canaan  ever  brought 
back  bigger  bunches  of  promise  than  our  emissary 
to  Central  China  after  his  first  prospecting  tour 
in  the  Yangtze  Valley.    He  had  gone  up  the  coast 


IxAHGER  STRATEGY 


143 


to  Shanghai,  about  four  hundred  p.nd  fifty  miles, 
thence  up  the  great  river,  passing  the  cities  of 
Chinkiang,  Wuhu,  Nanking  and  Kiukiang,  all  of 
which  cities  we  now  occupy.  He  was  full  of  en- 
thusiasm as  he  pictured  to  us  the  great  valley  of 
the  Yangtze,  with  its  fertile  plains,  and  described 
the  immense  commercial  importance  of  the  Grand 
Canal, — something  wp  knew  of  only  from  the 
studies  of  our  school       's. 

He  had  selected  as  a  starting  point  for  the  work 
the  busy  port  of  Kiukiang,  on  the  southernmost 
bend  of  the  Yangtze  near  Poyanf  Lake.  He  and 
Mr.  Sites,  with  the  zest  of  a  new  adventure,  began 
at  once  estimating  the  miles  southward  from 
Poyang  Lake  to  the  borders  of  Fuhkien,  and  plan- 
niL5  for  the  time  when  a  Methodist  chapel  should 
be  planted  in  every  importan'u  city,  one  every 
twenty  miles,  until  Foochow  and  Kiukiang  should 
clasp  hands  in  a  union  love-feast,  perchance  in  our 
new-found  outp-         iie  City  of  Lingermg  Peace. 

A  barrier  of  unpromising  highlands  between  the 
upper  Min  and  the  Yangtze  basin  has  delayed 
the  realization  of  that  particular  dream.  But 
larger  things  than  were  then  dreamed  have  come 
to  pass.  When  the  Methodist  Church  in  China 
met  in  quadrennial  conference  at  Foochow  last 
'.  ear,  there  came  to  the  mother  mission  represent- 
atives of  five  prosperous  missions,  embracing  a 
church  membership  of  some  forty  thousand. 
These  delegates  came  from  Peking  and  a  dozen 
other  cities  of  North  China,  scattered  along  hun- 
dreds of  miles  of  railway  in  two  provinces;  from 


144 


THE  CHUBCH  MILITANT 


il 


the  whole  lower  basin  of  the  Yangtze,  between 
Kiukiang  and  Shanghai;  from  Hinghua  on  the 
south,  where  the  work  which  was  being  pioneered 
in  1867  had  long  since  expanded  into  a  Conierence 
of  its  own ;  and  last  but  perhaps  most  flourishing 
field  of  all,  from  the  Empire  Province  of  West 
China  beyond  the  Yangtze  gorges,  fifteen  hundred 
miles  from  the  sea. 

Expansion  in  China  was  only  an  incident  in 
world  movements  of  which  China  was  already  a 
storm  centre.  Great  things  were  doing  in  those 
days  in  the  binding  together  of  East  and  West. 
The  Atlantic  cable ;  the  Suez  canal ;  the  Univ  > 
Pacific  railway;  restoration  and  transformati'  ■ 
in  Japan ;  the  Burlingame  mission,  which  was  t  ^ 
first  real  effort  to  make  China  acquainted  with 
the  West  at  home, — these  were  only  a  few  of  the 
signs  of  the  times.  For  us  at  Foochow  perhaps 
the  most  interesting  item  of  all  was  the  beginning 
of  the  Pacific  Mail  steamship  service  in  1867. 

To  get  our  mail  in  six  weeks  was  too  good  to  be 
true  I  **  How  wonderful  " — writes  the  missionary 
to  a  college  friend—"  to  think  of  this  great  steam- 
ship, a  vast  floating  palace,  crossing  the  wide 
Pacific  Ocean  1  Home  is  one-half  nearer  than  it 
was  a  year  ago.  Can  you  believe  that  London  and 
Paris  are  getting  their  latest  news  from  us  by 
way  of  Japan,  San  Francisco  and  New  YorkT 
*  Fact  is  stranger  than  fiction.'  And  why  may 
we  not  hope  to  see  along  with  these  wondrous 
inventions  and  scientific  achievements  a  corre- 
sponding increase  of  Christian  effort  to  carry  the 


i         I 


LARGER  STRATEGY 


145 


gospel  of  peace  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  f 
Not  in  the  slow  and  indifferent  manner  of  tl  < 
past,  bat  with  a  zeal  and  energy  corresponding 
to  the  spirit  of  the  times  in  all  material  progress. 
Look  no  more  toward  the  '  Far  East '  over  seas 
and  oceans,  beyond  kingdoms  and  empires,  and 
fancy  China  to  be  a  remote,  strange,  unwieldy, 
unapproachable  nation.  Lift  your  eyes  and  look 
directly  into  the  face  of  this  new,  mighty,  next- 
door  neighbor,  with  but  a  single  ocean  interven- 
ing! I  pray  that  the  Church  may  now  arise  in  the 
strength  of  our  God  and  do  valiantly  in  the  re- 
demption of  China.  Why  has  God  allowed  Prot- 
estant Christian  nations  to  open  up  in  this  day 
the  golden  treasures  of  California  and  Australia? 
Why,  but  that  these  nations  may  be  His  messen- 
gers of  mercy  to  heathen  lands;  accomplishing 
the  Saviour's  petition, '  TL/  will  be  done  on  earth 
as  it  is  in  Heaven.'  " 

Now  if  extension  was  good  in  China,  why  should 
it  not  extend  also  to  Japan?  Might  not  a  Chris- 
tianized Japan  even  prove  the  sanation  of  China? 
Jaj  an  had  now  been  linked  up  by  steam  with  both 
America  and  China.  It  was  time  for  American 
Methodism  to  be  co-operating  with  other  Chris- 
tian agencies  already  engaged  in  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  Island  Empire. 

So  reasoned  the  little  band  of  missionaries  at 
Foochow.   In  1871  they  wrote  home  thus : — 

**  The  present  breaking  up  of  their  ancieju  so- 
cial and  political  systems,  with  the  eager  desire 
of  the  Japanese  to  adopt  the  civilization  of  Chris- 


146 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


tian  nations,  indicates  that  now  is  the  golden  op- 
portunity for  the  Church  to  sow  '  the  seed  of  the 
kingdom  '  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  At  the  same 
time  it  admonishes  us  that  failure  on  our  part, 
at  this  favorable  juncture,  will  greatly  increase 
the  difficulty  of  evangelizing  Japan,  and  prove  a 
serious  hindrance  to  the  progress  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  the  earth." 

The  three  secretaries  promptly  replied,  indors- 
ing the  projec*. 

"It  is  a  matter  of  first  importance,"  wrote 
Durbin  and  Harris. 

•'  It  is  our  guilt  that  we  undertake  nothing," 
wrote  Terry.    And  they  undertook  Japan. 

Maclay,  who  had  made  the  address  on  missions 
on  the  night  when  Nathan  Sites  heard  his  *'  call," 
w^  uow  sent  from  Foochow  to  open  our  work  in 
Japan.  He  afterward  became  the  founder  also 
of  our  mission  in  Korea.  Thus  he  ranks  with 
William  Butler  as  a  pioneer  of  three  mission 
fields  of  Methodism. 

In  less  than  the  span  of  a  generation  the  Metho- 
dist Church  of  Japan,  uniting  three  great  Metho- 
dist communions,  has  become  an  independent  or- 
ganization, with  a  native  Bishop.  To-day,  in  the 
light  of  recent  history  in  Eastern  Asia,  a  history 
of  war,  of  diplomacy,  of  student  migration  and 
of  dazzling  changes  in  ancient  custor::,  we  can  be- 
gin to  see  how  Japan  is  involved  in  China's  des- 
tiny. To  those  who  foresaw  the  issue  in  all  its 
larger  outlines  forty  years  ago,  shall  we  not  ac- 
cord the  meed  of  vision  and  of  statesmanship? 


xxm 


AN  ABMOBY 

A  T  a  square  table  in  a  plain  room  with  boarded 
/\    wu-  "  and  flc     o*  pounded  earth,  several 

^  men  are  sittiL  One  of  them  is  the  once 
blind  preacher,  n-^w  an  elder  and  in  charge  of 
the  district.  Another  is  the  man  whom  he  first 
broug'  I  to  the  light,  now  the  pastor  of  that  same 
chapel  m  the  City  of  Lingering  Peace.  Others 
are  preachers  and  teachers  in  nearby  stations. 
In  their  midst  sits  the  missionary.  For  four  days 
they  have  spent  their  mornings  thus,  about  the 
table,  searching  the  Scriptures  to  learn  the  deep 
things  of  God  and  the  plain  way  of  bringing  them 
home  to  men.  Afternoons  they  have  scattered  to 
preach  to  groups  on  the  street  and  in  neighboring 
villages;  and  every  evening  they  have  met  the 
little  flock  in  the  chapel  for  vesper  hymn  and 
prayer.  This  is  the  pioneer  preachers'  theologi- 
cal school. 

At  the  eud  of  this  mcming's  study  the  mission- 
ary rises  and  says  to  Elder  Dang: 

"  I  must  pack  my  bedding  now,  Ging  Dong,  and 
start  down  river  this  afternoon.  By  the  way, 
have  you  anythmg  you  would  like  to  send  to  your 
boy  in  Foochowl  " 

147 


148 


THE  CHURCH  MiLITANT 


"  I  am  troubling  you  very  much,"  says  Elder 
Dang,  as  he  brings  out  a  package,  ready  wrapped 
in  coarse  brown  paper.  "  But  if  you  would  take 
this  it  will  make  Sing  Ling  very  happy.  It  is 
only  a  long  coat  which  we  have  had  made  for 
him." 

"  Oh,  yes,  those  fine  young  fellows  in  the  new 
Gospel  school  must  put  on  airs!  "  laughs  the  mis- 
sionary. *'  But  tell  me,"  he  continues  seriously, 
**  what  do  you  think  of  this  new  plan  of  a  regular 
school  for  preachers!  " 

**  Ah,  the  boys  have  advantages  we  old 
preachers  never  had;  but  then,"  laying  his  hand 
affectionately  on  the  missionary's  shoulder,  '*  we 
have  had  the  advantage  of  a  schooling  such  as 
they  will  never  have." 

In  China,  as  on  most  frontiers  of  the  Church, 
the  earliest  theological  seminary  is  not  an  insti- 
tution but  a  man.  Its  laboratory  is  the  broad 
highway,  its  lecture-room  the  wayside  chapel. 
The  proposal  to  establish  a  Biblical  school  at 
Foochow  in  the  early  seventies  occasioned  con- 
siderable debate. 

Some  thought  the  peripatetic  method  good 
enough.  Members  of  the  various  missions  dis- 
cussed the  project  together.  It  was  a  representa- 
tive of  scholarly  New  England  Congregational- 
ism whose  arguments  finally  convinced  the 
doubters. 

The  most  active  promoter  of  the  project  was  a 
young  graduate  of  the  college  at  Berea,  Franklin 
Ohlinger,  who  had  recently  come  to  the  field  and 


AN  ARMORY 


149 


in  whom  Gennan-American  scholarship  was  omted 
with  rare  evangelistic  zeal.  He  was  the  logical 
choice  for  principal;  but  he  was  still  new  in  the 
language  and  insisted  that  Mr.  Sites  should  be 
appointed.  Mr.  Sites  agreed,  for  one  year  only. 
He  was  always  restive  when  confined  to  a  pro- 
fessor's chair.  But  he  always  took  the  liveliest 
interest  in  the  seminary,  often  lecturing  and  con- 
tinually seeking  out  promising  youth  from  country 
churches,  whom  he  encouraged  and  often  aided  to 
come  here  and  prepare  for  the  ministry. 

It  was  the  custom  to  send  out  students  two 
and  two  at  vacation  times;  some  going  to  assist 
an  overworked  pastor  in  evangelistic  work ;  others 
going  to   large   villages   where   family   friends 
wanted  help  in  preaching  the  doctrine  to  their 
people.    As  they  came,  one  or  two  at  a  time,  to 
say  good-bye,  Mr.  Sites  never  failed  to  advise 
and  pray  with  them  and  start  them  gladly  on 
their  way.    And  when  they  were  gone  he  did  not 
forget  them.   He  often  spoke  of  them  and  remem- 
bered them  by  name  in  prayer.    Then,  on  their 
return,  he  would  promptly  bring  them  together, 
or  if  possible  devote  the  first  mid-week  prayer 
meeting  evening  to  hearing  their  experiences.    I 
remember  his  coming  in  from  such  a  meeting  and 
telling  me  exultingly  of  the  love  for  the  work 
which  ^aa  evident  as  each  told  the  story  of  work 
done  and  of  eager  desire  to  prepare  for  more 
effective  service. 
A  teacher  in  the  school,  who  was  a  literary 


150 


THE  CHURCH  MHilTANT 


graduate,  told  how  he  spoke  to  a  sick  woman  in 
her  heathen  home,  telling  her  of  Jesus  who  could 
heal  her  soul  and  turn  her  sorrow  into  joy;  then 
good  medicines  would  more  surely  heal  her  body. 
Being  invited  again  to  her  house,  he  took  the 
preacher  of  the  chapel  and  one  of  the  students, 
and  all  talked  and  prayed  with  the  family.  After 
a  time,  the  man  of  the  house  said: 

**  I  fully  believe  in  your  God." 

**  How  can  you  say  so,"  replied  the  teacher, 
"  when  here  stand  your  idols,  your  censer  and 
tablets?  If  you  believe  in  the  Christians'  God 
you  have  no  further  use  for  these." 

"  In  very  truth,"  said  the  man  more  earnestly, 
"  I  believe  your  God  is  the  Lord  and  beside  Him 
there  is  no  other." 

And  forthwith  he  remov(  d  all  the  idols  and 
heathen  emblems. 

A  unique  occidental-oriental  programme  marked 
the  first  public  graduating  exercises  in  1876. 
For  six  years — says  the  Journal — we  have  been 
aiming  at  more  direct  development  of  this  edu- 
cational branch  of  church  power;  and  on  this 
occasion  with  twenty  young  men  in  the  Bib- 
lical school,  and  fifteen  in  the  Seminary,  the 
institution  presented  a  very  creditable  appear- 
ance. 

Classes  were  examined  in  Theology,  Bible 
Hand-Book,  Homiletics,  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
Geography  and  Astronomy.  Of  the  native  clas- 
sics, selections  were  recited  from  Confucius  and 


^m^ 


AN  ARMORY 


151 


Mencius,  and  translated  into  the  colloquial  dia- 
lect.   In  the  same  way  the  students  covered  the 
Book   of   Historical   Documents,   the   books   of 
poetry  and  selections  from  ancient  essayists.    No 
need  to  go  to  Greece  and  Rome  for  classics.    The 
Chinese  student  boasts  his  own  ancient  sages: 
Confucius,  five  hundred,  and  Mencius,  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  before  Christ.    Their  later 
classic  literature  dates  from  b.  c.  400  to  a.  d.  1600, 
and  is  full  of  wise  saws  and  romantic  history. 
There  is  found  the  story  of  the  Emperor  who 
built  the  Great  Wall;  of  his  magnificent  palace, 
one  hundred  miles  in  breadth,  whose  height  lacked 
little  of  touching  the  clouds;  enclosed  within  the 
palace  grounds  were  winding  streams,  spanned 
by  high  arching  bridges  of  exquisite  workman- 
ship, so  dazzling  in  their  beauty  that  the  people 
often  took  them  for  rainbows,— and  so  the  tale 

runs  on. 

At  this  commencement,  twelve  undergraduate 
students  made  ten-minute  speeches  on  such  sub- 
jects as  these:  "  The  Place  of  the  Pentateuch  "; 
"Why  was  the  Law  Established?";  ''The 
Divinity  of  Christ";  ''Curious  Things  in  Na- 
ture"; "  The  Solar  System."  Three  graduat- 
ing students  presented  theses. 

There  was  singing;  and,  marvellous  to  relate, 
a  Chinese  student  accompanied  at  the  organ.  The 
wife  of  the  Berean  scholar  had  for  the  past  year 
been  teaching  a  son  of  Pastor  Hu  and  also  two 
or  three  of  the  girls  of  the  boarding  school  to 
play  simple  accompanin  )nts. 


i 


152 


THE  CHURCH  MttilTANT 


thie  of  the  subjects  on  which  Mr.  Sites  lectured 
in  the  Theological  School  was  astronomy.  This 
subject  was  one  of  his  favorite  diversions.  In 
collaboration  with  a  member  of  the  American 
Board  Mission  he  j  repared  a  text-book  of  astron- 
omy in  Chinese,  illustrated  with  elaborate 
charts.  It  was  in  the  classical  language  and 
has  been  much  used  in  schools  throughout 
China. 

Always  the  itinerant,  he  was  nevertheless  al- 
ways the  student.  Like  Asbury,  and  on  a  circuit 
of  about  the  same  length,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  he  studied  "  in  the  saddle."  In  his  medi- 
tations, at  the  end  of  a  year  of  peculiar  stress 
and  responsibility  in  mission  administration,  he 
records  a  stiff  list  of  books  read,  devotional  and 
biographical,  which  helps  to  explain  the  power 
of  his  personal  touch  upon  his  preachers. 

Yet  he  was  essentially  a  man  of  One  Book. 
At  the  last  General  Missionary  Conference  of 
China  which  he  attended,  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Committee  on  Bible  Translation.  This  Com- 
mittee reported  the  happy  plan  which  solved  a 
difficult  problem,  the  plan  of  translation  into  three 
distinct  versions,  high  classical,  easy  classical  and 
colloquial  Chinese.  The  project  thus  inaugurated 
is  just  now  approaching  completion. 

A  few  months  ago  a  Union  School  of  Theology 
was  set  up,  comprising  the  schools  of  the  t^ree 
missions  at  Foochow.  The  prophecy  of  getting 
together,  which  might  have  been  discerned  in  the 
joint  discussion  of  the  school  idea  forty  years 


HMk 


AN  ARMORY  153 

ago,  has  now  been  realized.  And  herein  too  is  a 
promise  of  sui  enlarged  opportunities  for  the 
deeper  study  of  theology  as  shall  attract  to  the 
school  the  brightest  minds  among  oar  Christian 
students. 


XXIV 


MARTIAL  MUSIC 


FEW  native  Chinese  melodies  have  been  made 
amenable  to  the  expression  of  Christian 
sentiment;  nor  has  Chinese  poetic  form 
been  christianized.  The  tunes  are  generally  im- 
ported with  the  doctrine,  and  the  verse  must  be 
translated  '^r  constructed  to  fit  the  metre. 

And  yet,  to-day,  our  seminaries  and  normal 
schools  are  sending  out  young  men  and  young 
women,  to  pulpits,  to  Sabbath  schools,  to  day 
schools  and  kindergartens,  carrying  the  gospel 
in  music. 

How  is  it  done? 

Once,  during  a  week  of  annual  meetings  in  the 
long  ago.  Brother  Ohlinger  was  moved  to  test 
his  fresh  mastery  of  the  language  by  translating  a 
hymn.  It  was  **  Revive  Us  Again."  Teacher  Sia 
happened  in,  and  together  they  wrought.  The 
first  stanza  went  well.  **  Hallelujah  "  was  taken 
over  bodily,  likewise  '*  Amen."  Their  stumbling- 
block  was  the  crucial  word  *  *  revive. ' '  If  rendered 
etymologically  it  would  be  understood  as  **  resur- 
rect." Even  so  Methodistic  a  term  as  '*  revival  " 
had  not  yet  found  its  place  in  Chinese  Christian 
speech.    But  once  the  Berean  scholar's  idea  had 

154 


MARTIAL  MUSIC 


155 


been  transfused  into  the  Confucian  scholar's  con- 
sciousness, Elder  Sia's  quick  spiritual  insight 
divined  the  classic  form.  The  hymn  was  quickly 
finishtjd.  They  knew  it  was  good.  It  was  given 
at  once  to  the  printer  and  within  an  hour  it  was 
distributed  at  the  meeting  then  in  session.  From 
the  fM,  it  took  with  the  assembled  preachers. 
It  was  in  their  hearts  as  they  scattered  to  their 
appointments. 

At  that  meeting  Mr.  Sites  had  been  assigned 
the  Hinghua  district,  and,  as  was  his  wont,  he 
went  along  with  his  preachers  returning  to  their 
work.  Two  days  they  traveled  overland  afoot. 
As  they  went  they  sang: 

••  We  praise  Thee,  0  God,  for  the  Son  of  thy  Lovt." 

So  their  aong  rolled  on,  rousing  echoes  from 
quiet  hillsides  and  awakening  drowsy  villages. 
Children  and  women  ran  together,  and  caDed  the 
men,  to  see  fifteen  Chinese  gentlemen  and  a  for- 
eigner marching  through  their  streets,  singing: 

"Hallelujah,  Amen, Revive  u»  again!" 

This  hymn  and  a  hundred  others,  in  spite  of 
their  alien  cadences,  seem  to  have  become  com- 
pletely naturalized  in  China.  There  is  life  in 
their  echoes  as  they  roll  from  sou"  to  soul  and 
they  gather  mighty  volume  as  the  years  go  by. 


XXV 

INTEBLUDE:  WHEN  THE  HBAET  SINGS 

IT  was  the  old  stor/.    Our  young  theological 
students  were  not  content.    As  the  months 
passed,  some  of  them  developed  a  desire  for 
certain  electives  which  the  men  of  the  Faculty 
could  not  supply.    That  was  where  I  came  in 
agam. 

The  first  practical  missionary  work  to  which  I 
was  introduced,  as  you  know,  was  a  daily  morning 
visit  to  our  Orphanage  to  superintend  the  bath- 
ing of  the  babies  and  to  look  after  their  health 
and  comfort,  applying  a  lotion,  a  salve  or  a  poul- 
tice as  the  case  might  require.    Many  of  the  little 
ones  were  sadly  afficted,  seeming  to  say,  "  Visit- 
ing the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  ckldren  " 
Considering   their   many   ailments   it   was   not 
strange  that  of  abort  eighty  who  were  taken  in 
durmg  the  short  period  this  institution  was  open 
to  receive  the  Uttle  outcasts,  only  twenty-three 
lived  to  maturity. 

I  remember  the  reception  of  the  last  baby.  The 
Mission  had  discussed  the  propriety  of  closing  the 
asylum,  and  a  notice  had  been  put  up  saying  that 
no  more  children  would  be  received. 

However,  there  she  was  just  outside  the  gate, 
rolled  in  an  old  rag,  lying  on  a  flat  stone  in  the 

160 


IJlossoms   from    llu-  Kindermartcn. 


'lis  the   Wedding  Morning. 


WHEN  THE  HEART  SINGS         157 

shade  of  the  wall.  Our  attention  was  called  to 
her  by  hearing  that  peculiar,  gasping,  infant  wail 
which  strikes  so  deeply  a  mother  heart.  The  men 
folk  said,  "  Let  her  lie  there.  Somebody  is  watch- 
ing around  and  will  carry  her  away  when  they 
see  we  do  not  take  her  in.''  By  and  by  she  had 
cried  herself  to  sleep,  and  there  lay  the  little 
handful  so  helpless,  so  forsaken;  but  she  soon 
awoke  only  to  renew  the  piteous  cry,  her  little 
limbs  quivering  from  hunger  and  the  hard  stone 
bed. 

Our  warm-hearted  Mrs.  Martin,  whose  window 
overlooked  the  scene,  could  endure  it  no  longer, 
and  her  tearful  pleadings  opened  the  gate  and 
gave  to  the  hapleas  innocent  the  food,  comfort  and 
care  which  the  asylum  afforded. 

Some  were  healthy  babies.  One,  I  remember, 
was  favored  in  having  for  her  nurse  a  nice  little 
old  woman  who  always  kept  her  shining  clean 
and  well  fed,  and  even  to  young  womanhood  her 
plump  form  gave  credit  to  her  good  keeping. 

There  were  no  kindergartens  in  those  days,  and 
when  at  about  eight  years  of  age,  these  children 
were  place-^  d  boarding  school,  they  were  not 

all  especia  ^lomising.  Discipline  by  their 
nurses  had  been  so  defective  that  it  required  the 
utmost  patience  and  perseverance  to  teach  them 
that  their  own  will  was  not  iuw.  Some  were  not 
strong  and  their  lessons  were  often  omitted  while 
they  were  daily  dosed  with  cod  liver  oil. 

One  was  especially  quick  to  learn,  but  h-.d  a 
fiery  temper,  and  when  undergoing  discipline,  in 


I 


158  THE  CHURCH  MHilTANT 

Uie  heat  of  paision,  she  more  than  once  left  upon 
her  teacher's  hands  the  prints  of  her  teeth  and 
the  scratches  of  her  sharp  nails.  But  year  by 
year  she  showed  improvement  in  health  and  de- 
portment, in  mind  and  in  henrt,  which  gavi  us 
encouragement  to  hope  that  such  U.  .a  had  not 
been  rescued  in  vain,  but  that  they  might,  in 
future  years,  rescue  and  save  others. 

When  about  sixteen,  with  a  number  of  their 
Bchoolmates,  these  giris  were  received  into  the 
^rch,  where  they  remained  acceptable  members. 
When  they  were  finally  among  the  oldest  girls  in 
school,  we  put  upon  them  many  responsibilities 
in  teaching  younger  ones  in  the  sewing  and  in 
the  domestic  department,  and  always  we  found 
them  trustworthy  and  helpful. 

We  used  to  think  we  might  have  some  difficulty 
in  mariying  off  our  foundlings,  as  they  were  a 
class  which  we  supposed  might  not  be  sought 
after  as  wives.  In  that  day,  an  unmarried  woman 
of  good  repute  was  an  unknown  thing  in  China 
Instead,  however,  we  had  difficulty  in  keeping 
them  m  school  as  long  as  they  ought  to  stay,  so 
eagerly  were  they  sought  by  the  choice  youths  of 
our  Church.  ^ 

After  Chinese  giris  have  reached  their  teens. 
It  18  exceedingly  impolite  for  them  to  talk  to  or 
have  any  communication  with  young  men.  Imag- 
me  then  our  horror  and  vexation  to  learn  that 
one  of  our  loveliest  giris  had  received  a  love 
letter,-.a  proposal,  in  fact,-from  a  theological 
student  m  the  building  a  few  rods  distant     A 


WHEN  THE  HEART  SINGS 


159 


little  investigation  revealed  the  fact  that  young 

Mr.  L ,  having  fallen  in  love,  had  been  advised 

by  a  venerable  church  father  that  in  western 
lands  these  little  matters  were  adjusted  by  cor- 
respondence, and  that  to  address  Miss  Peach 
Blossom  by  letter  would  be  the  most  appropnate 
and  successful  manoeuvre.  The  girl  was  fright- 
ened,— what  girl  isn't  under  similar  circum- 
stances?— and  was  only  too  glad  to  take  advice 
and  burn  the  letter,  cease  to  think  about  him  and 
be  more  reserved  and  modest  than  ever  before. 

The  girls  were  p11  warned  not  to  disgrace  them- 
selves by  answering  or  even  receiving  such  letters, 
and  were  instructed  that  anything  pertaining  to 
the  subject  of  marriage  must  come  through  the 
Mission.  But  our  girls,  going  to  church  every 
Sabbath,  seeing  people  frequently,  hearing  the 
theological  students  preach,  joining  in  the  sing- 
ing and  other  acts  of  worship,  mingling  with  the 
people  of  the  public  congregation, — notwithstand- 
ing that  tney  were  supposed  to  walk  with  down- 
cast eyes, — could  hardly  be  expected  to  be  un- 
moved or  to  have  no  likes  or  dislikes;  for  the 
Chinese  are  not  the  placid,  unfeeling  beings  that 
many  persons  regard  them,  but  rather  our  fellow- 
creatures,  who  love  and  hate,  weep  and  laugh, 
much  as  we  do,  although  their  emotions  are  ex- 
cited by  springs  that  often  differ  widely  from 
ours. 

However,  it  was  innocence  itself,  and  must  have 
been  very  amusing  to  sedate  Miss  Woolston,  then 
in  charge  of  the  school,  when  Fragra-.ce-of-the- 


160 


THE  CHURCH  MH^ITANT 


Lotus  came  to  her  one  evening  to  reveal  her  love 
for  one  of  the  students,  and  to  ask  her  if  they 
could  not  be  betrothed.  When  reminded  that  such 
a  proposal  ought  to  come  first  from  him,  in  blush- 
ing confusion  she  replied  that  she  understood  in 
our  western  countries  the  lady  proposed,  and  she 
thought  she  was  doing  the  correct  thing  to  speak 
her  love  for  him.  But  she  did  not  have  long  to 
wait.  Through  some  strange  spirit  communica- 
tion, or  perhaps  the  kind-hearted  gossip  of  some 
old  church  mother,  young  Mr.  S soon  peti- 
tioned the  Mission  to  give  him  our  lovely 
Fragrance-of-the-Lotus,  and  allow  them  to  be 
betrothed. 

A  Chinese  betrothal  is  an  elaborate  affair,  mak- 
ing out  and  signing  papers  with  exactness,  and 
bestowing  upon  the  young  lady  bracelets  and 
other  jewelry.  All  this  we  feared  might  turn 
the  heads  of  our  girls  in  a  way  that  would  seri- 
ously interfere  with  their  best  success  in  school 
duties,  so  we  gave  the  young  men,  as  well  as  the 
girls,  to  understand  that  their  wishes  would  have 
favorable  consideration,  but  that  the  girls  must 
remain  in  school  two  years  longer,  or  until  about 
eighteen,  and  that  we  did  not  wish  any  mention 
of  betrothal  until  within  a  few  weeks  of  the  time 
of  marriage.  The  young  men  went  out  as  itiner- 
ant pastors,  and  the  girls,  to  all  appearance,  for- 
got that  such  men  existed. 

A  year  later,  at  the  close  of  the  commencement 
exercises  of  the  Theological  and  High  School, 


titmm 


TVilEN  THE  HEART  SINGS 


161 


Precious  Pearl  revealed  to  me  her  admiration 

for  Mr.  T ,  one  of  the  graduates.    She  had 

observed  the  brilliancy  with  which  he  passed  ex- 
aminations in  different  classes,  and  withal  his 
deep  piety  and  zeal  in  work  for  Christ.  I  admired 
her  choice,  but  had  no  idea  how  his  heart  was 
beating,  when  to  my  surprise,  an  hour  afterward, 
Mr.  Ohlinger  came  in  to  tell  me  that  young  Mr. 

T wanted  us  to  promise  him  Precious  Pearl 

before  he  left,  and  that  then  he  could  go  off  to 
his  work  in  great  happiness.  What  human  agent 
assisted  the  communication  between  these  two 
hearts,  we  could  not  ascertain,  but  that  they 
never  spoke  or  wrote  to  each  other  we  were 
sure. 

Graceful  Chrysanthemum,  who  was  always 
rather  shy  and  backward,  although  the  eldest  of 
the  girls,  had  as  yet  no  offer.  There  was  a  certain 
young  man,  a  student  in  the  Seminary,  whom  I 
esteemed  for  his  own  worth  and  because  I  had 
known  his  gifted  parents  as  earnest  toilers  on 
the  very  outposts  of  our  work,  ever  since  he  was 

a  little  boy.    Mrs.  D ,  his  mother,  had  written 

to  me,  asking  if  we  would  let  her  son  have  a  wife 
from  among  our  girls.  I  decided  to  bestow  upon 
him  a  choice  girl — one  so  quick,  so  bright,  so 
good  that  she  would  surprise  and  delight  the  heart 
of  her  mother-in-law  with  her  accomplishments. 
While  the  selection  was  made  in  my  own  mind, 
it  was  not  necessary  that  the  girl  should  know 
about  it  as  she  was  young  and  he  ought  to  go  out 
and  preach  a  year,  at  least,  before  he  married. 


M 


■ 


162 


THE  CHURCH  MHjITANT 


One  day  when  he  called  to  bring  me  a  message 
from  fci3  mother,  thinking  I  ought  to  aid  him  in 
getting  up  sentiment  on  the  subject  before  he  left 
the  Seminary,  I  mentioned  to  him  his  mother's 
wish,  and  the  name  of  the  girl  I  designed  for 
him.  He  looked  lown  at  the  floor,  blushed  and 
smiled,  but  that  was  all. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  the  betrothal  of 
the  three  who  had  been  promised.  They  were  to 
be  married  at  the  close  of  the  term  in  June,  and 
the  wedding  trousseau  of  each  must  be  provided 
by  her  betrothed,  requiring  from  four  to  six  weeks 
of  dressmake  s'  and  jeweller's  work.  This  was 
attended  to  with  exactness,  although  the  parties 
never  spoke  to  each  other. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Sites,  returning  from 
Hinghua,  said  to  me: 

n  Mr.  C who  graduated  last  year,  and  is 

doing  well  on  his  circuit,  asks  if  we  will  give 
him  a  wife  from  the  school." 

I  replied,  **  I  don't  think  I  like  him  very  much, 
but  what  one  does  he  wantf  " 

'•  Oh,  that  doesn't  matter.  He  will  be  glad  to 
get  any  one  of  them." 

Finding  the  missionaries  all  spoke  well  of  Mr. 
C ,  I  finally  said: 

**  Graceful  Chrysanthemum  has  had  no  offer. 
We  had  better  let  him  have  her,  and  she  will  b  • 
pleased  not  to  be  left  behind  when  the  others  w'  j 
are  younger  are  being  married."    I  went  to  her 

the  following  day  and  told  her  that  Mr.  C , 

of  whom  she  had  known,  would  like  to  take  her 


WHEN  THE  HEART  SINGS 


163 


have  him.    She 


hesitated, 
"  Mr.  D 


(( 


the 
C- 


subject 
— ,  and 


for  a  wife  if  she  was  pleased 
n  quietly  said: 
-  is  my  choice." 
Now,"  thought  I,  "  this  is  a  fine  state  of 
things !    She  has  set  her  affections  on  my  young 

friend,  Mr.  D for  whom  I  have  chosen  quite 

a  different  girl  I  "    So  I  said: 

"  Oh,  don't  think  about  him.  He  ought  not 
to  be  married  for  two  years,  at  least,  while  Mr. 

C would  like  to  marry  at  once — as  soon  as 

we  can  get  you  ready." 

I  supposed  this  pr^-^entation  of 
would  quite  decide  her  to  take  Mr. 
told  her  to  think  about  it  and  talk  with  Huoi-mu, 
the  grandma  matron,  and  let  me  know  her  deci- 
sion. Two  days  later,  Huoi-mu  came  to  me  and 
said: 

"  Graceful  Chrysanthemum  is  in  great  trouble. 
She  has  not  eaten  for  two  days,  but  she  wants 
me  to  tell  you  that  she  will  be  submissive  and 
obey  your  words."    I  answered: 

**  If  she  does  not  want  Mr.  C she  must  not 

take  him.  Tell  her  not  to  be  sorrowful.  She  is 
welcome  to  stay  in  school  many  years,  but  tell 
her  she  must  not  think  anything  more  about  Mr. 
D ."  Two  days  more  passed  and  our  Grace- 
ful Chrysanthemum  still  drooped.  When  I  spoke 
to  her  about  it  she  replied: 

"  I  cannot  be  happy;  you  do  noi  love  me  1  You 
allow  the  other  girls  to  marry  each  the  man  she 

chooses.    I  won't  marry  Mr.  C .    I'll  live  to 

be  twenty-five  years  old,  or  even  thirty;  yes,  I'll 


ii 


!1 


164  THE  CHUBCH  MILITANT 

die  in  the  school  before  I  will  marry  him.   I  want 

Mr.  D 1    7  Cheu  nguai,  nguai  cheu  i,  ia  ong 

laul "  Literally,  "  He  has  looked  at  me  and  I 
have  looked  at  him  this  long  time!  " 

When  I  saw  aU  this  spirit  in  our  shy  little 
Graceful  Chrysanthemum  I  thought: 

'♦  Yes,  dear,  you  deserve  just  such  a  superior 

husband  as  young  Mr.  D will  surely  make," 

so  I  told  her  to  be  assured  that  I  did  love  her 
and  wished  her  best  happiness,  and  now  I  wanted 
her  to  worry  no  more,  for  I  believed  it  woulr"  all 

come  right. 

Afterward  as  I  thought  it  all  over,— how  differ- 
ent she  was  from  the  girl  I  had  chosen  for  my 
favorite,  and  how  he  might  not  be  willing  to  give 
up  the  pretty  bright  girl  I  had  named  to  be  his, 
in  case  she  were  willing,— who  should  come  to  the 

door  but  Mr.  D himself,  saying  he  wished  to 

speak  a  few  words  with  Mr.  Sites  privately.  I 
withdrew  at  once,  but  was  soon  afterwards  in- 
formed that  his  portentous  few  words  were,  that 
if  I  were  willing,  he  would  prefer  Graceful  Chrys- 
anthemum- she  had  always  been  his  choice. 
How  glad  I  was !  and  I  resolved  then  and  there 
to  make  matches  no  more. 

Mr.  D was  made  an  exception  to  the  rule 

requiring  him  to  go  out  in  the  work  a  year  or 
more  before  marrying.  As  he  must  go  away  a 
distance  of  two  hundred  and  forty  miles,  it  seemed 
better  that  he  should  take  his  bride  with  him,  so 
they  were  betrothed  at  once,  and  preparations 


mti^M 


WHEN  THE  HEART  SINGS 


165 


began  for  the  marriage  of  our  four  eldest  fprls 


at  the  same  time. 


Early  on  the  morning  of  a  sunny  June  day,  four 
elegant,  bright  red  bridal  chairs  stood  in  waiting 
at  the  door  of  the  sohoolhouse.    The  last  touches 
were  put  upon  the  toilets  of  our  four  brides. 
The  church  bell  rang  a  merry  peal  as  we  assisted 
them  into  their  sedans,  whence  they  proceeded  to 
the  church,  each  chair  carried  in  state  by  four 
coolies.    These  gay  sedans,  carefully  closed  all 
around,  were  carried  through  the  wide  doors  into 
the  church  and  placed  side  by  side  facing  the 
altar.     The  chairs  were  then  opened  and  each 
bride  led  to  b'  '  place  where  she  was  immediately 
joined  by  h        ridegroom.    It  is  customary  for 
Chinese  bride    to  be  kept  closely  veiled  through- 
out the  marriage  ceremony,  and  this,  I  think,  had 
given  our  young  men  some  uneasiness,  lest  among 
so  many,  a  mistake  might  be  made.    But  I  did 
not  fancy  having  our  pretty  girls  covered  with 
heavy  red  flannel  veils  on  a  warm  June  morning, 
and  so,  instead,  I  provided  each  with  a  veil  of 
rose-colored  net,  which  was  exceedingly  becoming 
and  very  pleasing  to  the  Chinese. 

Mr.  Sites  read  the  introductory  portion  of  the 
service  and  prayers  for  the  four  couples  at  once, 
and  the  questions  of  mutual  obligation  he  asked 
of  each  by  name,  and  pronounced  each  couple  man 
and  wife  in  the  name  of  the  Hol^  Trinity.  Our 
people  had  never  seen  more  than  one  couple  mar- 
ried at  a  time  and  predicted  great  confusion,  but 
we  had  a  carefully  arranged  programme  which 


mi 

m 


h 


I 


166 


THE  CHURCH  MHjITANT 


was  as  carefully  carried  out,  and  all  passed 
smoothly  and  to  the  delight  of  the  native  congre- 
gation, one  of  whom  said: 

"  Since  the  creation  it  was  not  so  seen  in 
China." 

A  delifentful  reception  followed  the  ceremony, 
after  which  our  four  precious  girls  started  away, 
each  with  her  young  preacher  hushand,  in  a  little 
native  boat,  up  or  down  the  Min  River  as  the  case 
might  be.  They  were  stationed  respectively  fif- 
teen, fifty,  one  hundred,  and  two  hundred  and 
forty  miles  distant  from  Foochow,  to  find  theirs, 
possibly,  the  only  Christian  home  in  an  entirely 
heathen  city.  Upon  them,  in  those  heroic  early 
days,  fell  the  responsibility  of  holding  up  before 
a  sin-sick  people  the  Christ  who  promised  if  He 
be  lifted  up  to  draw  all  men  unto  Himself. 


Rapid  Transit. 


A  houseboat  waited  at  the  jetty  for  the  turning  of  the  tide. 


XXVI 
THE  ABSENAL 

ON  a  New  Year's  eve  a  houseboat  waited  at 
the  China  Merchants'  jetty  for  the  turning 
of  the  tide.    Three  passengers  were  al- 
ready on  board.    They  were  old  friends,  not  only 
to  one  another  but  to  you.    There  was  Elder  Sia, 
and  with  him,  as  in  the  old  days  when  they 
tramped  over  the  hills  together  on  preachmg 
tours,  the  converted  blacksmith  Lee  and  the  boy 
preacher   Yek,   both   of   them  now   elders   too. 
"  Conference  "  had  just  closed,  the  Christmas 
Conference  of  1877,— Conference  with  a  big  "C.|' 
Like  the  famous  Christmas  Conference  at  Balti- 
more nearly  one  hundred  years  before,  it  had 
meant  great  things  to  an  infant  church. 

This  had  been,  in  a  legal  sense,  the  first  session 
of  the  Foochow  Conference.  The  growing  annual 
meeting  of  the  early  days  had  attained,  so  to 
speak,  its  majority.  There  being  now  a  sufficient 
number  of  ordained  ministers,  they  had  been  con- 
stituted, according  to  the  laws  of  the  Church,  into 
a  self-governing  body  like  any  such  in  the  home 
land.  Isaac  W.  Wiley,  who  came  first  to  Foochow 
as  medical  missionary  iu  the  early  years  of  the 
Mission,  had  now  come  back  as  Bishop  and,  m 

167 


D 


168 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


the  name  of  the  Church  at  large,  hati  received  this 
ninety-first   commonwealth   into    the    Methodist 

Union. 

The  three  men  on  the  boat,  while  they  waited, 
talked  of  trifles  as  Chinese  will  when  matters  of 
essential  import  are  on  their  minds.  Soon  the 
missionary  arrived — alone.  He  had  hoped  to 
bring  the  Bishop  to  attend  the  Hinghua  district 
conclave;  but  a  winter  storm  was  b-ewing  and 
the  Bishop  was  weary  with  travel  and  toil.  So 
the  four  set  out  without  him. 

The  houseboat  swung  off  with  the  tide.  It  was 
still  early.  They  had  ample  time  for  a  good  talk 
before  unrolling  their  beds.  The  missionary  re- 
joiced in  this  reunion  with  his  fellow-soldiers  of 
many  a  sturdy  fight.  It  was  eight  years  since 
the  three  had  been  ordained,  in  that  first  group 
of  seven,  and  sent  out  to  their  several  pastorates; 
so  the  old  friends  seldom  found  themselves  all 
together  as  now.  Moreover,  for  the  missionary  it 
was  watch-night;  and  although  "he  western  New 
Year's  eve  meant  nothing  as  yet  to  the  Chinese 
calendar,  it  made  the  westerner  reminiscent.  He 
spoke  of  the  first  formal  Annual  Meeting  at  Foo- 
chow,  in  1862,  the  year  after  his  arrival  in  China, 
anci  of  the  growth  of  the  little  group  of  workers 
of  that  day  into  this  strong  body.  He  went  back 
to  the  beginning  and  recalled  the  tradition  of 
Collins'  heroic  challenge  to  the  Church  on  behalf 
of  China;  how  Collins,  within  the  year  after  the 
founding  of  the  Mission,  went  home  to  die,  and 
how  others  came.    Then  the  whole  decade  with- 


THE  ARSENAL 


169 


out  a  convert — the  first  small  beginnings — and 
now  I 

The  Bishop  had  conducted  the  communion  serv- 
ice, in  the  closing  hours  of  the  Conference  with 
Mr.  Sites  as  interpreter.  A  great  audience  had 
been  deeply  moved  with  the  spirit  of  the  solemn 
service  and  the  Bishop's  inspired  words.  Then 
the  appointments  had  been  read,  having  for  the 
first  time  the  full  force  of  episcopal  authority. 
And  with  the  appointments,  many  of  them  carry- 
ing the  assurance  of  toil  and  pain,  had  come  the 
episcopal  benediction  weighted  with  richer  than 
earthly  comfort  to  that  band  of  workers  who 
were  now,  as  never  before,  united  in  one  body 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel. 

Mr.  Sites  had  continually  rejoiced  in  the  grow- 
ing strength  of  the  native  ministry.  Of  the  class 
of  preachers  .ordained  at  this  conference  some 
were  graduates  of  our  Tbeological  school,  and  all 
had  seen  from  two  to  four  years  in  regular  work. 
The  missionary,  in  his  work  of  supervision,  had 
taken  pains  to  put  upon  the  native  ministers  all 
their  responsibilities.  He  had  found  the  growing 
Church  greatly  pleased  to  receive  the  native  pas- 
tor, and  he  rejoiced  to  say  with  John  the  Bap- 
tizer,  **  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease." 

When  prayers  had  been  said  and  good-nights 
exchanged  the  boat  was  well  away  toward  Drum 
Mountain  Point,  halfway  to  Pagoda  Anchorage. 
The  plan  was  to  catch  the  early  morning  tide  at 
Pagoda  and  go  up  with  the  water,  on  the  south 
branch,  to  the  landing-point  for  Hinghua.    But 


ill 


I 


170  THE  CHUBCH  MILITANT 

ala»— says  the  Journal— the  wind  arose  furiously, 
and  after  rolling  and  tossing  to  and  fro,  and 
again  and  again  tacking  vainly  back  and  forth 
across  the  river  against  a  cold,  heavy  head  wind, 
our  captain  declared  he  could  go  no  further,  and 
so  he  cast  anchor. 

Several  times  through  the  night,  when  there 
was  a  lull  in  the  wind,  we  urged  him  to  be  off, 
but  he  always  answered,  •*  T-ipossiblp."  The  next 
tide  met  us  here  in  mid-course.  A  whole  day 
would  be  lost. 

At  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  wind  and  tide 
were  fair  for  us  to  go  back  to  Foochow.  Elder 
Sia  moved  to  go  back.  This  was  seconded,  but 
after  discussion  Elder  Lee  moved  to  amend  by 
pressing  on  against  the  tide  for  a  few  miles  and 
seeing  the  Government  Arsenal  and  Dock-yards 
which  are  a  little  above  Pagoda  Anchorage.  This 
amendment  carried  by  unanimous  vote  with  up- 
lifted hands. 

Some  hearty  pleasantries  followed  in  which  all 

participated. 

'*  In  all  the  sixteen  years  of  my  travel  on 
this  route,"  said  I,  "never  before  was  our 
boat  thus  delayed.    There  must  be  a  Jonah  on 

board!" 

In  a  moment  all  had  set  on  Elder  Yek  as  the 
man.  He  was  going  east  for  a  brief  visit  with 
Elder  Lee  when  he  should  have  been  going  off 
to  his  own  work  in  the  west.  Yek  insisted  on  the 
casting  of  lots  before  being  consigned  to  the 
water.    The  evidences  were  so  clear,  all  the  rest 


rf*i 


THE  ABSENAL 


171 


dedared  lots  were  unnecessary;  however,  mercy 
tempered  justice  and  he  was  spared. 

Approaching  the  Arsenal  at  noon,  every  man 
felt  the  zest  of  the  schoolboy  starting  in  on  an 
unscheduled  holiday.  To  these  Chinese  preachers 
it  meant  mnch  more :  a  day  of  wonder  at  ihe  power 
which  God  has  committed  to  man  and  a  big 
**  find  "  of  sermon-material.  For  to  the  oriental 
mind  the  parable  is  the  common  resort  in  ex- 
pounding any  theme. 

Elntering  the  shops  they  see  the  noiseless  drill, 
the  gentle  lathe,  the  mighty  shears  clipping  off 
half-inch  bars  of  iron,  which  Brother  Lee  thinks 
so  gentle  in  motion  that  they  would  stand  still 
if  he  would  but  lay  his  hand  upon  them ;  and  then 
the  whirl  of  the  band-saw  and  the  buzz  of  the 
circular  saw!  Hundreds  of  feet  of  shafting  and 
numerous  bands  and  fi!y-wheels  communicate  mo- 
tion and  power  everywhere,  and  lead  them  to  in- 
quire for  the  source  of  all  this  power  and  motion. 
Yonder,  away  in  a  little  building,  working  noise- 
lessly, is  the  mighty  engine.   How  wonderful ! 

On  then  to  the  rolling  mill  and  forges.  As  they 
enter  they  hear,  Thump!  thump!  and  soon  they 
see  a  bright  glare  of  light  from  the  farther  end 
of  the  great  shed.  A  shaft  of  iron  twenty  feet 
long  and  over  a  foot  square  in  cross  section,  some 
six  feet  of  it  burning  red,  is  under  the  great  forge 
hammer.  Up  goes  the  ponderous  weight  of  seven 
thousand  pounds  and  down  again  on  the  red-hot 
iron,  which  loses  nearly  two  inches  in  the  first 
stroke.   Again  and  again  the  shaft  movcs  and  the 


• 


172 


THE  CHURCH  MILITANT 


hammer,  like  a  thunderbolt,  does  its  work,  while 
the  earth  around  trembles  at  every  stroke.  The 
little  blacksmith,  Elder  Lee,  is  especially  inter- 
ested and  seems  at  a  loss  to  find  words  to  express 
his  astonishment. 

Fortunately  while  they  wait  the  ponderous  bal- 
ance wheel  starts  up,  the  furnace  door  is  lifted, 
and  plate  after  plate  of  red-hot  iron  is  taken  out 
and  passed  under  the  rollers.  Common  and  un- 
common things  are  all  new  to  this  company  and 
their  enjoyment  is  intense. 

As  they  start  to  return  they  see  there  by  the 
riverside  the  slip  gently  gliding  down  into  the 
water,  fixing  itself  under  a  great  ship,  then  bring- 
ing itself  and  the  whole  ship  bodily  up  out  of  the 
^ater;— and  all,  again,  worked  by  the  unpreten- 
tious engine  yonder,  whence  the  power  is  com- 
municated to  a  system  of  forty-eight  screws,  at 
equal  intervals,  the  whole  length  of  the  building. 
I  explain  all  this  to  the  brethren  and  they  exclaim : 
'*  Wondrous  power  1  and  wondrous  skill  to  in- 
vent and  apply  machinery  to  such  useful  ends!  " 
When  we  are  once  more  seated  in  our  boat,  the 
essays  in  application  begin.   The  engine  they  com- 
pare to  the  Bible;  the  fire  to  the  Holy  Spirit; 
and  as  the  man  at  the  lever  of  the  ponderous 
steam-hammer,  so  is  the  minister  at  the  Gospel 
lever:  he  opens  the  valve,  God  sends  the  power; 
and  as  the  bands  communicate  the  power  of  the 
en^ne  to  the  machinery,  so  love  brings  us  into 
communion  with  God  and  with  one  another.    As 
the  machinery  moves  steadily,  doing  its  appointed 


MM 


THE  ARSENAL 


173 


task  in  the  midst  of  surrounding  confusion,  so 
should  the  Christian  go  steadily  forward  undis- 
turbed by  outward  influences. 

And  so  indeed  it  was  and  must  be  in  our  own 
little  section  of  God's  great  workshop  for  the 
making  of  men.  The  machinery  was  now  complete 
and  in  good  running  order.  More  and  more  of 
it  was  being  constructed  of  native  materials. 
Our  prayer  as  we  went  on  our  way  was  for  the 
gift  of  Power,  that  the  Master  Workman  might 
realize,  in  us  all.  His  high  design  and  form  for 
Hunself  even  here  in  China  a  glorious  Church 
without  flaw  or  failing  for  the  work  of  the  years. 


II 


t  ?J 


1 


UNDERTONE 


r     '^  ■ 


«'  0  Cross  that  liftest  up  my  head, 
I  dare  not  ask  to  fly  from  thee; 
I  lay  in  dust  life's  glory  dead, 
And  from  the  ground  there  hlossoma  red 
Life  that  shall  endless  be." 

GEOBOE  MATHSBON. 


Ill 


1 


xxvu 


THE  COST 


I  HAVE  before  me  the  draft  of  a  letter  ad- 
dressed by  Nathan  Sites  to  his  parents,  in 
which  he  first  tells  them  of  his  missionary 
call.  In  it  he  says:  ♦'  If  my  life  and  health  are 
spared,  I  do  not  think  of  returning  under  ten  or 
fifteen  years,  and  it  may  be  not  at  all." 

In  those  days  the  usual  time  of  taking  a  fur- 
lough was  after  ten  years  of  service  on  the  mission 
field.  We  remained  twelve.  Why?  Because  at 
the  expiration  of  ten  years  there  seemed  in  our 
health  no  imperative  requirement  for  the  change; 
and  Mr.  Sites  was  unwilling  to  leave  the  work 
unless  providentially  forced  to  go.  Another 
reason,  though  we  tried  not  to  think  of  it,  was 
that  we  knew  when  we  returned  to  China  again 
after  our  rest  at  home  we  should  be  obliged  to 
leave  behind  us  in  the  homeland  our  first-born. 
Belle,  who  had  commenced  her  strenuous  mission- 
ary life  when  just  five  weeks  old,  entering  the 
traveling  connection,  as  the  Methodists  say,  in 
going  with  us  to  our  lonely  country  station  of 
Oxvale;  and  our  active  little  son. 

In  the  later  years  of  our  first  term  we  some- 
times found  brief  respite  from  the  midsummer 
heat  on  a  trip  by  small  native  boat  to  Sharp  Peak, 

177 


i  ; 
i  I 
•   4 


mi 


178 


UNDERTONE 


a  rocky  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Min  River, 
where  sea  breezes  blow.  Once  or  tw^.ce  the  priests 
at  the  great  temple  on  Drum  Mountain  kindly 
took  us  in  to  spend  a  few  days  among  their 
rustling  pines. 

One  summer  after  we  had  been  ten  years  in 
Foochow,  Mr.  Sites  was  suddenly  taken  down  with 
a  serious  and  excruciatingly  painful  ilhiess. 
Nowadays,  I  fancy,  it  would  have  been  called 
appendicitis ;  there  would  have  been  an  operation, 
and  doubtless  his  work  would  have  ended  then 
and  there.  Our  ignorance  was  bliss.  For  a  week 
he  suffered,  with  very  brief  intervals  of  rest; 
while  through  weary  nights  and  anxious  days  we 
poulticed  and  prayed.  The  doctor  did  his  best, 
and  at  last  the  pain  was  gone  as  suddenly  as  it 
had  come. 

That  summer  Mr.  Sites  enjoyed  his  first  sea 
trip  to  the  North,  visiting  the  missions  on  the 
China  coast  and  along  the  Yangtze  River  as  far 
as  Hankow.  The  experience  was  fruitful  in 
larger  views  of  mission  polity  and  clearer  visions 
of  the  triumphs  of  the  Cross. 

When  we  started  for  America  it  was  by  way 
of  Hong  Kong  and  San  Francisco.  The  Pacific 
Mail  steamers  did  not  then  touch  at  Shanghai  or 
at  any  of  the  western  ports  of  Japan.  At  Yoko- 
hama we  had  time  for  the  luxury  of  a  railway 
trip  on  the  newly  constructed  line  to  Tokio.  In 
what  seemed  an  incredibly  short  time— six  weeks 
after  leaving  the  China  coast— we  were  back  once 
more  among  the  dear  Ohio  hills. 


THE  COST 


179 


Father  Sites  was  awaiting  us  in  the  old  home- 
stead, happy  beyond  words  to  see  Nathan's  chil- 
dren. Mother  Sites  was  not  there ;  she  had  passed 
on  three  years  before  to  the  heavenly  home.  Our 
children  ran  free  in  garden  and  orchard,  or  came 
shouting  from  the  harvest  fields,  mounted  on  high 
loads  of  fresh  hay.  My  husband  was  constantly 
being  called  away  to  make  missionary  addresses 
and  was  much  of  the  time  among  the  churches, 
busy  as  missionaries  on  furlough  always  are. 

But  the  glory  of  the  free  days  i  '  the  farm,  at 
home!  The  elixir  of  unpolluted  air,  the  nectar 
of  water  uncooked  1  It  made  the  man  a  boy  again 
to  gather  pears  from  the  gaunt  old  tree,  planted 
before  he  was  born.  And  then  once  more  to  swing 
the  axe  by  the  woodpile,  choosing  to  split  the 
knottiest  chunks  for  very  joy  of  conquest. 

Again  we  were  back  at  my  father's  home  in 
Mohawk  Valley,  Ohio,  where  the  junior  preacher 
had  found  his  fate  and  I  my  effectual  call.  It 
was  here  with  father  and  mother  Moore  that  we 
really  made  our  home.  They  would  sometimes 
intimate  that  we  had  given  enough  of  life  to  China 
and  ought  to  remain  in  our  own  country.  We 
often  had  to  remind  them  that  Mr.  Sites  did  not 
for  a  moment  entertain  the  thought  of  remaining 
in  America.  When  he  consecrated  his  life  to 
missionary  work  in  China,  it  was  for  life,  and  to 
die  in  the  harness. 

But  now  the  ever-present  thought  before  us 
was  our  inevitable  separation  from  our  children. 
This  unrest  naturally  detracted  from  our  best  re- 


11 

511 

i1 


180 


UNDEBTONE 


cuperation.  Mr.  Sites  was  always  comforting 
himself  and  me  with  assurance  of  God's  goodness 
and  His  planning  our  lives  in  love  so  much  better 
than  we  could  do  for  ourselves.  Then,  we  had 
His  promised  care  for  our  children  for  Christ's 
sake  and  the  gospel's.  Alas,  my  heart  could  not 
then  receive  consolation.  With  tears  falling,  we 
often  stood  beside  the  children  when  they  were 
asleep  at  night;  and  as  we  looked  down  on  those 
innocent,  smiling  faces,  we  asked  ourselves  and 
each  other: 

*•  Does  God  require  this!  Never  to  see  their 
child-faces  again?  " 

"  Then,  too,"  I  said,  "  they  have  always  lived 
so  close  to  me;  how  can  they  stumble  through 
their  sleepy  prayers  at  night  beside  another 
woman's  knee,  or  confide  to  her  the  troubles  or 
naughtiness  of  the  day?  " 

Willing  and  yet  unwilling,  we  seemed  to  be  car- 
ried along  by  force  of  circumstances— busy  plan- 
ning for  their  clothmg  and  comfort  when  we 
should  be  gone,  and  all  the  time  furtively  saying: 
*•  We  cannot  do  it.    Oh,  must  we?  " 

The  day  came;  we  were  saying  good-bye  to 
friends,  to  parents,  to  many  dear  ones.  The  ap- 
pointed hour  to  leave  had  come.  We  Lad  gone 
through  the  form  of  taking  our  last  supper  to- 
gether. There  was  a  drizzling  rain.  The  LHtle 
son  was  waiting  for  his  good-byo  beside  the  car- 
riage which  was  to  take  us  to  the  train.  I  turned 
for  a  final  look  at  our  little  daughter.  There  she 
stood  in  silhouetted  profile,  in  the  open  door- 


riMi 


THE  COST 


181 


way.    I  heard  her  brave,  tearful  voice,  as  she 

called :  «     ,  . 

«' Good-bye,  my  splendid  Papal    Good-bye,  my 

precious  Mother  1 " 

The  horses  were  whipped  up,  and  the  carnage 
rumbled  and  splashed  through  the  slushy  street, 
as  if  to  drown  the  moan  of  my  breakmg  heart. 


I   ! 


> 


xxvm 


THE  CAMPAIGN  RENEWED 

ONCE  more  in  the  mission  field,  we  launched 
into  the  work  as  of  old.  New  missionaries 
had  arrived  and  some  old  ones  had  gone 
home. 

The  home  mail  came — the  children's  first  little 
letters.  They  told  us  what  a  happy  time  they 
had  the  next  day  after  we  left,  helping  grandma 
make  maple  sugar  eggs  and  such  funny  animal 
cookies  I  We  were  glad  that  their  minds  had  been 
diverted,  and  that  they  did  not  through  those  days 
realize  the  pangs  of  separation  as  their  parents 
did. 

I  no  longer  had  excuse  for  teaching  our  own 
children.  My  hands  seemed  empty.  So  I  picked 
myself  up  and  went  with  my  husband  seventy-five 
miles  down  into  the  Hinghua  district,  where  he 
proposed  making  a  tour,  stiffening  up  the 
churches ;  while  I  visited  the  day  schools  and  the 
women  who  were  doing  deaconess  work. 

It  was  with  joy  and  surprise  that  I  now  found 
the  women  of  that  beginners'  class  of  four  years 
before  doing  acceptable  work  as  Bible  women. 

When  Mr.  Sites'  first  morning  meeting  closed, 
he  announced  for  me  a  women's  meeting  at  two 

182 


\wm 


THE  CAMPAIGN  RENEWED         183 

o'clock  in  the  afternoon.    When  the  hour  came 
the  women's  meeting  was  more  than  half  men. 
But  I  was  pleased  to  see  how  confidently  these 
shy  women,  with  modest  bearing,  each  in  turn 
stepped    forward    and    took    her    part.      The 
preacher's  wife-a  young  thing-offered  the  open- 
ing prayer.    Then  they  sang,  -  Jesus  loves  me, 
this  I  know."    I  talked  to  them  in  the  Foochow 
dialect,  each  sentence  being  interpreted  into  the 
Hinghua  dialect  by  our  sweet  little  Mrs.  Wong 

I  read  from  •'  The  Bible  Picture  Book'  the 
story  of  Hannah,  consecrating  her  little  son  to  the 
Lord:  and  of  Eli's  failure  to  require  obedience 
from  his  sons,  of  God's  consequent  displeasure 
and  their  punishment.  Then  three  of  the  women 
were  invited,  one  by  one,  to  tell  in  a  few  words 
how  she  would  teach  Chinese  mothers  tc  trail 

their  children.  _„    inff 

My  husband,  following  his  programme,  left 
Hi-ujnua  City  and  proceeded  to  another  central 
point,  where  he  had  invited  the  preachers  from 
circuits  in  immediate  proximity  to  meet  him  for 
study,  instruction,  preaching  and  prayer. 

At  the  same  time  I  went  in  my  sedan  chair 
in  another  direction  to  see  and  examine  some 
day  schools  for  girls.    First,  I  went  out  W 
miles  to  see  a  school  taught  by  a  -  church  father 
because  there  was  no  woman  there  prepared  to 
teach.    No  missionary  lady  ^ad  ever  been  here 
before,  and  the  novelty  brought  the  whole  village 
out  to  see,  thronging  the  open  court  and  school, 
room    I  found  the  school  in  session  with  sixteen 


1  i 


J 

i 

■a 

I 

% 


184 


UNDERTONE 


girls  present.  Five  or  six  of  them  were  between 
the  ages  of  fifteen  and  eighteen.  Usnally  the 
pupils  are  only  from  seven  to  twelve  years  old. 
Now,  as  the  teacher  told  me,  these  larger  girls 
wanted  to  be  prepared  to  teach  and  earn  two 
silver  dollars  every  month !  I  was  glad  these  girls 
were  in  school,— glad  to  see  the  modest  blush 
moimt  their  cheeks  as,  with  downcast  eyes,  they 
took  their  places  to  recite,  standing  by  my  side. 
The  recitations  were  all  from  Christian  books. 
I  asked  the  teacher  how  it  was  that  he  had  not 
raised  the  number  of  pupils  to  twenty.    He  said: 

*'  The  mind  of  our  people  is  very  dark.  The 
parents  fear  this  school  is  a  trap  and  that  the 
Christians  will  kidnap  these  girls  and  sell  them 
to  foreigners  who  will  ship  them  off  to  America." 

Then  he  lifted  the  very  little  ones,  as  they  came 
forward  one  by  one  to  recite,  and  with  grand- 
fatherly  pride  stood  them  upon  the  table,  where 
with  their  heads  above  the  crowd  they  could  be 
seen  and  heard.  Thus  he  tried  to  make  my  visit 
a  means  of  reassurance  to  his  constituency.  We 
talked  familiarly,  sang  hymns  and  had  a  pleasant 
time  together.  When  I  asked  the  girls  if  they 
liked  to  read,  with  one  voice  they  answered: 

"DeUghtedl" 

I  slept  that  night  in  a  little  room  with  earthen 
floor  and  with  pounded  earth  walls,  blank  and 
bare  and  the  color  of  the  red  earth  of  which  they 
are  made.  When  the  door  was  closed,  the  only 
place  where  a  ray  of  light  could  penetrate  was  a 
pane  of  glass  about  three  by  four  inches,  in  the 


pper- 


Xul  a  sprinii  nnltr.  >s,  l.ut 

l.lain  boards. 


■L 


THE  CAMPAIGN  RENEWED         185 

tiled  roof.  My  bed  was  not  a  spring  mattress, 
but  plain  boards,  between  which  and  my  bones 
there  was  only  my  cotton  comforter;  and  although 
I  turned  many  times,  morning  came  and  I  had  not 
yet  found  any  soft  sidel 

My  next  school  was  a  long  way  ofiF  in  another 
direction.   The  road  was  generally  level  and  much 
of  it  covered  deep  with  sand,  blown  there  by  the 
wind;  for  we  were  now  nearing  the  coast.    We 
looked  far  out  over  the  sea  from  whence  a  strong 
northeaster  blew,  so  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
my  three  good-natured  chair  coolies  staggered 
along  under  their  burden.    At  last  the  httle  town 
was  in  sight  and  all  its  inhabitants  on  the  lookout 
for  us.    One  after  another  the  Christians  came 
forward  and  gave  their  greeting: 
'♦  Peace,  peace." 

Modestly  lingering  behind  them,  but  with  an 
eager  light  of  welcome  in  her  face,  came  the 
young  teacher,  one  of  our  boarding-school  grad- 

She  called  the  roll  of  her  school,  nineteen  names, 
and  I  wrote  them  down  on  my  prepared  blanks, 
inquiring  one  by  one  what  progress  each  had  made, 
what  books  she  could  recite  and  made  note  cf  it. 

Where  all  had  memorized  the  same  book,  the 
whole  school  stood  around  in  a  semi-circle,  and  I 
called  on  each  in  turn  to  recite  two  or  three  pages 
until  the  book  was  completed.  In  this  way  they 
all  went  through  the  catechism  and  a  number  of 
Christian  booklets.  Then  about  half  their  num- 
ber kept  on  in  the  same  way  through  the  gospels 


I 


% 


I 


186 


UNDERTONE 


of  Matthew  and  Mark;  I  tested  them,  skipping  a 
chapter  here  and  there,  without  in  the  least  dis- 
concerting any  one.  Then  three,  who  had  out- 
stripped the  others,  continued  all  through  Luke, 
and  finally  when  it  began  to  grow  dark,  finished 
by  repeating  in  concert  the  first  five  chapters  of 
the  gospel  of  John. 

These  little  girls  are  inspired  with  a  love  for 
their  books,  as  is  their  enthusiastic  little  teacher, 
who,  in  less  than  three  years,  has  read,  that  is 
memorized,  all  the  New  Testament  and  through 
the  book  of  Samuel  in  the  Old  Testament. 

It  was  here  that  my  husband  overtook  me.  He 
began  to  think  I  had  been  going  alone  long 
enough;  so  left  his  meeting  in  charge  of  so  **« 
one  else  and  came  across  to  find  me.  The  I  ■  r  - 
schoolgirls  each  smilingly  bowed  their  good  ir  .; 
and  ran  away  home. 

"One  more  day's  work  for  Jestu, 
O,  yea,  a  weary  day!" 


were  the  words  we  involuntarily  ^;ummed,  as  we 
turned  into  an  adjoining  room  prepared  for  our 
occupancy.  This  room  was  an  improvement  on 
the  one  of  the  previous  night ;  it  had  a  brick  floor 
and  a  window,  or  rather  an  opening  in  the  wall, 
two  feet  square,  with  solid  board  blinds.  This 
bed  was  also  beautifully  improved  by  having  an 
armful  of  fresh  straw  spread  over  the  boards. 

As  we  made  our  supper  on  sweet  potatoes  and 
boiled  eggs,  with  a  little  dessert  of  bananas  and 


THE  CAMPAIGN  RENEWED         187 

ginger-snaps,  a  friendly  group  stood  around  to 
see  how  we  did  it  without  chopsticks. 

Our  little  evening  service  had  heen  held  in  the 
chapel,  hut  the  people  were  loath  to  go.  We  felt 
a  strange  warming  of  the  heart  toward  them  as 
we  looked  into  their  xaces  hardened  with  the  stre^^s 
of  toil  but  transfigured  with  the  light  of  love. 
It  seemed,  away  down  on  that  bleak  peninsula, 
so  far  from  home  and  our  own  darling  children, 
as  if  we  ourselves  were  drawn  closer  to  the  heart 
of  God  and  so  to  all  who  love.  As  the  people 
lingered,  Mr.  Sites  took  ov.  his  flute,  and  the 
dingy  walls  echoed  the  sweet  plaint  of  **  Home, 
Sweet  Home."    And  of  home  we  dreamed. 

Next  morning  we  breakfasted  by  the  light  of  a 
candle  and  were  early  on  our  way,  returning  to 
Hinghua  City.  Our  road  took  us  through  a  town 
on  the  sea  coast  where  there  are  fine  Roman 
Catholic  buildings.  Mr.  Sites  called  on  the  Span- 
ish priest,  who  received  him  politely.  They  were 
obliged  to  use  the  Chinese  language  in  conversa- 
tion. The  priest  afterward  told  an  English  gen- 
tleman, a  merchant,  who  happened  that  way,  that 
he  had  been  surprised  a  few  days  before  by  hav- 
ing a  call  from  a  heretic,  who  was  traveling  with 
his  wife. 


H 


XXIX 

BATTLE  SCABS 

ONCE,  as  the  boat  rnshed  down  the  last 
rapid    toward    the    smooth    pool    above 
"  Watermouth,"  in  the  glory  of  another 
victory  over  waves  and  rocks,  the  Jonmal  sang: 

"  Beautiful,  foaming,  boiling,  placid. 
Turbulent  River  Mint 
Ever  changing,  ever  the  aame. 
Ever  going,  ever  abiding,—" 

And  SO  he  might  have  written  of  the  people  too. 

Strange  indeed  it  was  that  after  joumeyings 
oft,  in  which  he  had  been  received  with  lavish 
courtesy  by  officials  of  all  ranks  and  with  brotherly 
regard  by  people  of  every  class,  he  should  be  the 
one  of  all  the  missionaries  to  suffer  brutal  treat- 
ment at  the  hands  of  a  mob  in  Yenping. 

After  our  visit  home,  Mr.  Sites'  appointed 
work,  for  three  or  four  years,  lay  in  the  southern 
districts  near  the  coast.  At  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  1879,  however,  he  was  assigned  the  super- 
vision of  two  districts  in  the  up-river  region  of 
his  earliest  pioneer  days,  each  of  which  had  now 
also  a  native  Presiding  Elder. 

Proceeding  promptly,  as  usual,  to  his  field,  he 

188 


UMillli 


■■■■■ill 


a 

is 
5 


M. 


I 
I 


I 


. 


BATTLE  SCABS 


189 


arrived  at  Yenping  early  December.  There 
had  been  trouble,  years  before,  between  a  Chinese 
elder  of  the  church  and  the  owner  of  the  chapel 
premises.  The  landlord  asserted,  and  with  much 
show  of  right,  that  the  elder  had  obtained  the 
lease  of  the  house  by  falsely  representing  that 
it  was  to  be  used  as  a  bookstore.  Later,  however, 
the  landlord  had  become  agreeable,  and  Mr.  Sites 
had  no  apprehension  of  trouble  now. 

He  did  not  know,  nor  did  the  shopkeepers  and 
working  people  with  whom  he  talked,  that  the 
literary  guild  of  the  city,  with  the  approval  and 
sympathy  of  the  Prefect  and  other  officials,  had 
sworn  to  abuse  and  put  out  of  the  city  any  foreign 
missionary  who  came  preaching  the  **  Jesus  doc- 
trine"; and  that  a  preconcerted  and  carefully 
organized  plan  was  now  on  foot  to  bring  a  band 
of  notorious  assassins  from  an  adjoining  town 
to  carry  out  their  purpose. 

He  arrived  on  a  Wednesday;  and  the  following 
days  were  spent  in  the  usual  meetings  with 
preachers.  Saturday  morning  they  rose  to  find 
abusive  and  threatening  placards  on  a  wall  op- 
posite the  church,  calling  on  the  people  to  as- 
semble the  next  day  and  bind,  beat  and  cast  out 
the  foreigner  and  his  "  foreign  vassals,"  and  then 
raise  a  sum  of  money  to  redeem  the  church  prop- 
erty and  restore  it  to  its  owner.  That  morning, 
in  view  of  these  threatening  placards.  Dr.  Sites 
went  to  the  Magistrate's  office  in  person  to  re- 
quest that  they  be  taken  down.  The  answer  was 
that  the  placards  should  be  taken  down,  but  that 


190 


UNDERTONE 


there  mnst  not  be  any  pnblic  service  in  the  chapel 
on  Sunday;  and  it  was  so  agreed. 

On  Sunday  morning,  a  few  Christians  met  in 
the  parsonage,  read  the  Bible  and  prayed,  but 
did  not  sing  or  have  any  formal  worship ;  daring 
this  time  a  few  people  came  peering  in,  looking 
about  in  a  bold  and  aggressive  way.  Toward 
noon,  Mr.  Sites  walked  out  upon  the  hills.  In 
about  an  hour  he  returned,  but  on  approaching 
the  chapel  he  sl  >  .  .;veral  ugly  looking  persons 
standing  around  it  as  if  meditating  mischief. 
Thinking  his  presence  there  just  then  might  lead 
to  a  disturbance,  he  turned  and  walked  up  another 
street,  meeting  several  person  of  the  middle  class 
to  whom  he  had  sold  books  on  the  previous  day. 
They  greeted  him  pleasantly  and  joined  in  casual 
conversation;  there  was  evidently  no  disposition 
to  rudeness  from  any  one  in  that  quarter. 

Returning  again  toward  the  chapel,  he  saw  it 
surrounded  by  a  large  and  excited  crowd  of  men, 
all  dressed  in  a  uniform  of  black.  Just  as  he 
saw  this  mob  they  saw  him,  and  raising  a  shout 
they  ran  hooting  toward  him.  Dr.  Sites  had  a 
hope  that  he  might  reach  the  Magistrate's  house, 
less  than  half  a  mile  distant.  But  his  pursuers 
were  soon  close  upon  him  with  clubs  and  stones. 
There  were  no  shops  in  this  street;  but  he  pushed 
through  the  doorway  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  resi- 
dence, hoping*  to  gain  protection.  Unfortunately 
it  was  old  and  broken-down  inside  and  if  any 
people  were  living  in  it  they  hid  themselves  in 
inner  rooms.    The  rioters  pushed  in  on  all  sides. 


BATTLE  gCARS 


191 


He  was  stmck  over  the  head,  in  the  face,  and 
about  the  bodv.  One  fiend,  with  a  sharp,  two- 
pronged,  hardwood  fork,  thrust  him  in  the  face, 
aiming  to  put  out  his  eyes,  cutting  a  cruel  gash 
under  each  eye. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Sites  thought  his  eyes  were 
indeed  out;  though  blinded  by  the  stunning  blows 
and  the  blood,  he  broke  out  of  the  house  and 
through  the  crowd  for  some  distance,  when  he 
was  quite   surrounded  and  lifted  off  his  feet, 
thrown  upon  his  face  upon  the  pavtment,  his 
boots  pulled  off,  his  feet  tied  with  a  rope.    Then, 
after  a  hard  struggle,  they  wrenched  his  arms 
from  where  he  had  them  clasped  under  his  chest, 
and  tied  them  behind  his  back.    Up  to  this  time 
he  had  struggled  hard  in  self-defence.    Now  he 
was  powerless,  lying  with  his  face  towards  the 
stone  pavement.    He  merely  moved  his  face  a 
few  inches  out  of  the  pool  of  blood  which  had 
flowed  from  the  wounds  below  his  eyes.    He  felt 
an  assurance  that  God  had  not  forsaken  him, 
while  every  breath  was  a  silent  prayer  that  de- 
liverance might  come. 

The  noisy  crowd  discussed; — "What  next?" 
Some  said,  **  He  is  dead  already  ";  others  said, 
"Let  us  pelt  him  with  stones";  and  others, 
"  Drag  him  out  of  the  city  and  throw  him  in  the 
river."  Lying  thus  for  a  brief  space,  he  now 
knew  from  what  the  ruffians  were  saying  that  an 
officer  was  approaching,  but  he  thought  it  was 
safer  to  make  believe  he  was  about  dead,  so  did 
not  stir.    Soon  the  officer  arrived  in  his  official 


192 


UNDERTONE 


chair  with  a  squad  of  unarmed  soldiers;  he  sur- 
veyed the  scene  and  in  a  leisurely  manner  ordered 
the  missionary's  hands  and  feet  to  be  untied. 
Some  one  picked  up  a  piece  of  hit>  old  broadcloth 
coat,  which  had  been  torn  to  pieces,  and  covered 
his  bruised  and  bleeding  face. 

The  rabble  now  broke  away,  and  made  a  rush 
again  for  the  chapel  and  parsonage,  which  they 
entered.  Fortunately,  the  preachers,  expecting 
this,  had  already  removed  their  families  and  most 
of  Uieir  effects  by  a  back  way  and  secreted  them 
with  friendly  neighbors;  and  i;<  native  Christian 
was  injured. 

The  officer  and  soldiers,  a.ter  much  delay  and 
noisy  talk,  procured  a  sedan  chair  and  bearers. 
Mr.  Sites  was  lifted  into  it,  and  they  carried  him, 
he  knew  not  where,  but  supposed  toward  the 
Magistrate's  headquarters. 

The  chair  was  finally  put  down;  the  officer 
talked  loudly  and  made  much  bluster;  the  soldiers 
joined  in  and  there  was  a  great  uproar.  Still  he 
sat  in  his  chair,  seeing  nothing.  Then  he  heard 
the  voice  of  the  preacher,  who,  on  seeing  him, 
broke  into  tears  and  sobs.  Asking  where  he  was, 
he  found,  to  his  surprise,  that  they  had  brought 
hhn  to  the  chapel.  Kindly  hands  assisted  him 
upstairs  to  where  his  room  and  bed  had  been. 
Everything  was  gone. 

For  a  moment  he  was  in  despair  at  the  thought 
of  his  helpless  condition,  and  without  bedding  or 
change  of  clothes.  Then  he  heard  his  cook-boy 
say: 


BATTLE  SCABS 


193 


**  Teacher,  everything  is  safe." 
The  faithful  fellow  had,  on  the  first  appear- 
ance of  danger,  gathered  everything  into  his  trav- 
eling  baskets  and  fled  with   them  to  friendly 
shelter.    He  now  brought  all  back  and  arranged 
the  bed,  washed  the  blood  from  Dr.  Sites'  face, 
but  was  unable  to  make  much  change  in  his  clothes 
or  tend  his  bruises.   The  Christians  were  devoted 
in  their  service;  all  night  long  some  one  sat  by 
his  bedside  bathing  the  wounds  with  cold  water. 
Next  morning,  three  of  the  highest  officials 
came  to  condole  with  him,  and  express  their  re- 
grets.   They  hired  one  of  the  closest  and  best 
of  boats,  and  detailed  an  under  officer  and  a  guard 
of  ten  soldiers  to  escort  him  home  to  Foochow. 
The  cook-boy  continued  the  cold  water  treatment, 
never  permitting  the  cloths  on  the  wounds  to 
dry,  during  the  forty-eight  hours  of  their  journey 
down  river. 

Arriving  at  the  landing,  the  faithful  boy  came 
to  call  a  chair  and  to  prepare  us  somewhat  for 
the  news.  I  was  not  expecting  Mr.  Sites  until  the 
day  before  Christmas,  about  a  week  later.  I  was 
standing  in  the  study  talking  with  some  one  when 
the  boy  entered  looking  deathly  pale.  I  ex- 
claimed : 

*♦  Where  is  Teacher  Siekt  '* 

♦*  In  the  boat." 

•*  Is  he  sick?  " 

♦*  No,  he  is  hurt  a  little." 

I  cannot  rehearse  what  followed. 

When  Dr.  Osgood  had  examined  his  eyes,  he 


im  UNDERTONE 

fcHid  OD''  would  soon  be  all  right,  but  the  other 
was  iL'l:  Laed  and  would  need  time.  A  little  later 
tliu  Amo?  "in  Consul  called.  After  recounting  the 
story  to  hlui  Mr.  Sites  added: 

"  But  my  Bible  teaches  me  to  bless  them  that 
curse  me  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use 
me,  and  I  want  to  go  back  to  Yenping  as  soon 
as  I  am  well,  if  I  may  thereby  help  to  save  the 
people." 

Two  years  later  the  sequel  begins.  In  the 
Journal  record  of  another  long  itinerary,  he 
writes : 

Of  course  to  the  Mission  and  to  the  Jnited 
States  Consul  my  visit  to  Yenping  was  the  im- 
portant point  of  interest.  They  suspected  tl.at  I 
might  go  there  on  this  tour,  as  m\  return  trip 
would  bring  me  by  the  gates,  wherein  no  foreign 
missionary  had  entered  since  I  was  the  passive* 
recipient  of  attention  from  high  and  low  officials 
as  they  escorted  me  out  that  memorable  morning. 
And  now  Yenping  being  in  my  appointed  work, 
to  enter  or  not  to  enter  when  passing  was  for 
God's  guiding  hand  to  direct. 

After  spending  two  week^  in  the  cMes  b*  oad 
and  about  it,  I  now  ventured  to  an*  uor  outeide 
the  gates  of  this  forbidden  fity.  I  pi  once  sent 
a  messenger  to  the  chapel,  and  in  lialf  .-a  hour 
our  faithful  preacher  was  bv  ray  side  in  *  le  boat. 
We  carefully  and  pray^  rfullv  talked  <  ver  the 
question  and  then  ^e  ent-red  the  great  gate  of 
the  city.    We  went  uirect  to  tii    office  of  the  high- 


ri-.-»'i»-,-.:--....- 


BATTi^K  Scars 


Id5 


est  official  (Tao-tai),  who  was  appoiuted  here 
when  tine  iat  net  one  waa  removed  after  the  riot. 
He  dH  not  ppear  but  asked  tli  rough  his  sec- 
retary who  e  wet  and  what  ir  pu^po^'^  He 
tfjen  requested  us  tc  xo  and  report  to  the  ?  refect. 
This  wad  what  I  die  not  like  to  do. 

This  Prefect  is  the  same  one  who  wa>  acting 
in  that  office  when  the  riot  occurred  id  wb« 
doubtless  encouraged  the  outburst  of  c^uelty  and 
rage  which  fell  upon  me  that  day.  No  wt  .  ler  I 
doubted  the  propripty  of  agan  placing  m;  If  in 
his  tend  r  mercies.  Dc  bting,  y^t  going  on,  we 
were  aoon  at  a  street  c  'rner  wl  e  we  must  go 
to  or  retu  n  from  the  ir/a««»^'  3v 
vai  shed  and  we  went  hxnjdy  i 
tered.  I  sent  in  my  ard.  Ui 
marked  all  the  pieliir  i  aries,  an« 
were  made.  They  kn  ^  me  now. 
for  my  passport. 

I  was  invitt  ^  to  eMer  the  reception  room,  and 
poon  his  exceiien<T  stored  in  full  offidal  dress, 
with  smiles  a  d  oows.  V  were  seated  in  order. 
A  few  remarks  fo  >wed  as  to  the  cities  I  had 
jupt  been  visits    '.  n  I  told  him  I  wished 

to    emain  in  th«  over  the  Sabbath,  he  ordered 

three  reliable  cou  es  to  see  that  all  was  quiet 
and  no  ins  Its  oft  ere.  me  from  the  children.  He 
assured  me  that  the  people  were  well  u  sposed; 
that  under  bis  careful  ruling  hand  no  dist  irbance 
should  occur :  that  by  treaty  agreement  tht  Amer- 
ican and  Chx  ;  people  are  as  one  family.  He 
then  spoke  of  the  unfortunate  occurrence  of  my 


then  all  doubt 
ward  and  en- 
sual  dispatch 
few  inquiries 
No  one  asked 


196  UNDERTONE 

last  visit  and  expressed  deepest  regret  that  lie 
had  not  known  earlier  of  my  presence  in  the  city, 
that  he  might  have  provided  for  my  protection. 
I  pointed  to  the  marks  of  the  wounds  on  my  face, 
and  I  assured  him  that  the  good  hand  of  God  had 
kept  me  from  death  and  had  restored  my  wounds 
and  my  eyesight.  He  expressed  surprise  at  the 
remarkahle  healing,  and  many  regrets  and  apolo- 
gies that  such  a  calamity  had  ever  occurred. 

When  we  had  sipped  our  tea,  he  escorted  me 
to  the  second  gateway,  where  he  shook  hands  and 
we  parted. 

The  constables  were  fine  gentlemanly  fellows. 
They  went  with  us  to  the  boat  to  get  my  baskets 
of  bedding,  and  then  through  the  streets  nearly 
the  whole  length  of  the  city  to  our  chapel,  with- 
out any  more  excitement  than  if  on  the  streets 
of  Foochow.  Before  long  I  was  on  my  knees  in 
that  same  upper  chamber  in  thanksgiving  to  God, 
where  two  years  ago  I  lay  with  wounded  face  and 
blinded  eyes. 

One  of  the  three  constables  had  been  a  member 
of  the  guard  posted  at  the  chapel  on  the  night 
following  the  riot.  He  remembered,  he  said,  hear- 
ing the  wounded  missionary  that  night,  utter 
words  like  these :  **  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do." 

At  last  we  know  the  meaning  of  the  name  of 
this  City  of  Lingering  Peace.  Peace  lingered 
long  in  the  coming,  'tis  true,  but,  having  come, 
it  abides.  It  is  a  peace  which,  like  the  river, 
abides,  yet  flows,  bringing  ever  larger  blessing  to 
all  its  borders. 


i 


I 
I 


c 
I 


1 

wei 

fro 

ten 

spc 

a 

Tl 
sti 

C( 

vi 


y 
1 


mum 


mL 


BBOKEN  MELODY 

^HE  years  moved  ^   ^:^^.,''Z 

'  I     things,  boUi  m  *e  ^™  ^P,t.    Our  Uves 

^''"tr^entl^'ar,  cheery  lette" 

were  very  busy.    ^''^".  '  ^n-  and  lovingly  wnt- 

from  the  ehlWren,  «,  toM    ^^^^  ^^^  ,rtght 

ten,  coming  to  us  m  every         ,  ^^^  ^„^ 

spJtB  to  looV^^i^tdou  selves  fortunate, 
a  month  and  we  counted  on  ^^  ^^^ 

They  brought  news  of  woA»d<.^P„^„„, 
study  hours  m  h'!" J^^tj,  J  and  marks  and 
fo^tt^rtl'^^-asdisap^— 

'^'^^-   ^      i,*.r  Belle  was  in  her  eighteenth 

UtUe  daughter  »f "«  ™      ^^^  school  course. 

year.    She  had  completed  ber  Mgn  j^,„^,, 

Cd  friends  who  »Pf J^tleU  as  her  beauti- 

andher  progress  >  ^  ,^-*^  >  ^'arcated  to  God  and 

for^rtSntb^-^'-^^P— '"'''"" 
enter  Wellesley  College.  j^^      ars 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  D-J'^*',^^;' 3  infused  into 
earlier,  had  f?™?<'«^5^'t«S,  offered  her  spe- 
lt a  strong  -"''^''-''^ '^'"%ntal  interest  m 
da.  advantages,  and  took  a  pa 


St. 


' '^.^-^  - 


198 


UNDERTONE 


her.  She  was  open-hearted  and  unaffected  and 
withal  of  a  sweet,  sunshiny  disposition.  Natu- 
rally, in  consequence  of  travel  and  much  associa- 
tion with  older  people,  she  seemed  rather  more 
mature  than  most  girls  of  her  age.  Then  the 
peculiar  conditions  of  her  life,  the  long  and  dis- 
tant separation  from  her  parents,  caused  her  to 
be  noticed  and  taken  into  the  hearts  of  Christian 
teachers  with  helpful  and  sympathetic  inter- 
est; while  the  young  girl  so  believed  in  her 
parents  and  their  work  that  when  their  letters 
came  her  joy  and  enthusiasm  bubbled  over  and 
she  shared  them  with  classmates  and  loved 
teachers. 

She  had  come  to  the  end  of  her  Freshman  year. 
The  commencement  season  was  a  delightful  nov- 
elty. To  see  so  many  beautiful  functions  I  Such 
merriment  and  fun  among  the  students!  The 
commencement  guests  had  been  assigned,  in 
squads  of  five  or  six,  to  different  students  to  be 
shown  through  the  buildings.  We  must  know  the 
names  of  those  she  had  the  honor  to  escort,  and 
bits  of  the  conversation  which  went  on  as  they 
passed  from  room  to  room.  It  was  a  long,  sweet 
letter,  that  **  conunencement  letter,"  just  such  a 
letter  as  she  might  have  written  if  she  had  known 
it  was  to  be  her  last.  As  we  read,  our  tears  fell. 
We  were  so  happy  and  so  humbled  and  thankful. 
Among  other  things,  in  response  to  an  incident 
her  father  had  written  her  some  months  before, — 
some  hardship  he  had  met  with  in  the  work — she 
said: 


I 


BBOKEN  MELODY 


199 


**  Papa  dear,  don't  you  get  discouraged.    It 
will  be  only  a  little  time  until  I  come  to  help 

you." 

This  letter  arrived  at  Foochow  about  the  middle 
of  August.   A  few  days  later,  to  escape  the  sum- 
mer heat  we  went  to  Sharp  Peak  on  the  seashore 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Min.    A  long  stone  bungalow 
had  by  this  time  been  erected  there  for  the  use 
of  our  Mission  families.    We  had  been  there  only 
two  or  three  days  when,  just  as  we  were  at  dinner 
at  one  end  of  the  long  veranda,  our  small  mes- 
senger boat  was  reported.    The  brother  beloved 
who  with  his  family  was  occupying  the  other  end 
of  the  house,  jumped  up  to  distribute  the  mail. 
Ahnost  immediately  he  called: 
♦♦  Brother  Sites,  come  over  here." 
I  saw  that  his  face  bore  a  look  of  distress.    As 
he  turned  back,  my  husband  hastened  to  join  him, 
I  thought  of  three  of  our  boarding-school  girls 
who,  a  week  before,  had  been  married  to  theolog- 
ical students  and  had  started  up  the  river  Min. 
They    would    necessarily    encounter    dangerous 
rapids.    Perhaps  there  might  be  news  of  disaster 
to  them.   Then  I  caught  the  sight  of  my  husband's 
face,  ashy  pale,  his  dazed  look  and  that  unmis- 
takable bit  of  yellow  paper  in  his  hand.   I  rushed 
towards  him. 
"  Which  is  it?  "  I  cried. 
His  lips  could  not  readily  frame  the  name.   See- 
ing my  need  of  support,  he  put  his  arm  around 
me  as  he  answered: 
"  Belle." 


Ml 


200 


UNDEBTONE 


4t 


Together  we  looked  at  the  hard,  cold  words, 

Your  daughter  is  dead!  " 

A  cahle  message  from  the  homeland,  conveying 
snch  an  nnexpected  and  paralyzing  announcement, 
can  neither  be  imagined  nor  described.  After  the 
days  of  onr  first  inmioderate  grief,  we  allowed 
the  Comforter  to  come  to  us,  assuring  us  of  what 
we  had  known  but  could  not  realize  through  our 
hot,  blinding  tears,  and  saying  to  us,  "  Your 
precious  one  is  with  Jesus;  the  ravages  of  death 
are  only  upon  the  body.  Those  dear  eyes  which 
never  looked  aught  but  love  upon  you,  now  see 
the  King  in  His  beauty.  She  will  nevermore  know 
toil  or  tears ;  no  more  days  of  longing  and  nights 
of  care  as  she  thinks  and  prays  for  you  so  far 
away.  Her  wish  to  work  for  Christ  among 
heathen  women  and  children  is  accepted  for  the 
deed;  she  is  lifted  away  from  it  all,  forever  safe, 
forever  with  the  Lord." 

Thus  we  thought  and  thus  we  talked,  and  such 
humbled  rest  and  consolation  came  into  our  hearts 
as  was  not  granted  to  us  six  years  before  when 
we  ploughed  those  boisterous  waves  of  the  Pacific, 
leaving  our  darlings  alone  in  this  wide  world. 

The  expressions  of  sympathy  from  native 
Christian  friends  were  most  touching.  Said  one, 
"  There  is  no  comfort  but  God's  comfort."  Said 
another,  '*  Jesus  loved  her  and  would  spare  her 
from  this  world's  sorrows." 

Many  weeks  must  pass  before  letters  with  ex- 
planations or  particulars  could  come  to  us.  I 
wanted  to  get  away  to  some  place  where  we  might 


■I  ' 


m^ 


BROKEN  MELODY 


201 


<{ 


talk  and  weep  alone.  There  were  no  "  own 
folks  "  to  go  to.  We  closed  our  house  and  went 
one  hundred  miles,  first  on  the  river,  then  over- 
land to  the  new  Oldfield  chapel,  with  its  now  cozy 
parsonage  rooms.  We  spent  a  few  days  visiting 
two  of  the  four  girls  who  had  been  married  from 
our  boarding  school  all  at  the  same  time,  two 
years  before.  They  were  now  doing  good  work 
with  their  husbands  in  this  district.  Each  of  the 
young  matrons  had  an  interesting  day  school  of 
little  girls,  while  their  Sunday  afternoons  were 
given  to  teaching  the  church  mothers  and  sisters. 

The  first  evening  spent  there  the  preaching  hall 
was  crowded  with  men  and  Mrs.  Muoi  Sieng's 
bedroom  with  women  until  a  late  hour.  When 
she  was  married  we  had  presented  her  with  a 
little  cabinet  organ,  which  now  stood  across  the 
comer  of  her  room  and  made  such  music  as  had 
never  before  been  heard  within  those  walls. 
While  she  sang,  the  mothers  vied  with  each  other 
in  the  privilege  of  holding  and  amusing  her  pretty 
baby  boy. 

I  met  that  evening  a  very  interesting  little 
woman,  whose  face  so  pale,  so  shadowy,  showed 
traces  of  tears.  She  greeted  me  affectionately 
and  Muoi  Sieng  said  of  her: 

**  She  is  very  sorrowful;  she  is  dying  of  grief. 
We  will  talk  about  it  when  we  have  leisure.  She 
has  lately  buried  two  little  boys." 

I  thought,  "  Now  surely  if  I  tell  her  how  Jesus 
comforts  me  in  my  great  sorrow,  she  will  believe 
that  I  understand  and  will  trust  the  same  Jesus 


m 


m 


wm 


202 


UNDERTONE 


with  her  little  ones,  and  be  comforted  too."  Bat 
when  I  fonnd  her  in  a  qniet  comer  and  tried  to 
tell  her  of  our  sweet  daughter,  taken  from  us 
when  we  were  not  with  her,  and  how  the  news 
was  carried  to  us  by  a  lightning  flash,  which  smote 
us  to  the  ground;  then  how  Jesus  stood  by  to  lift 
us  up  and  dry  our  tears  with  such  sweet  words 
of  promise,  she  gave  a  look  in  which  deep  under- 
standing was  mingled  with  despair. 

'•  Oh,  yes,"  she  said,  "  I  know  that.  I  do  not 
sorrow  for  my  children;  I  know  they  are  safe 
with  Jesus.  I  am  glad  they  are  safe  in  Heaven. 
I  mourn  for  the  living.  My  husband  uses  opium 
and  spends  everything  he  earns  and  more,  too. 
My  father-in-law  smokes  opium  and  will  steal 
anything,  even  his  neighbor's  coat,  and  give  it  in 
exchange  for  that  curse  of  our  home.  I  have 
prayed  for  them  and  pleaded  with  them  to  come 
and  let  Jesus  save  them,  but  they  on^'^  go  farther 
and  farther  into  sin."  Then  in  a  i .  .d  of  tears 
she  cried,  "  Oh,  what  shall  I  dot  " 

After  three  or  four  weeks  we  returned  to 
Foochow  to  find  piles  of  letters  from  friends 
everywhere.  They  sought  in  words  of  loving 
sympathy  to  tell  us  where  comfort  could  be  found. 
We  had  found  it  already,  off  among  the  hills,  in 
carrying  balm  to  souls  in  deeper  sorrow  than  ours 
could  ever  be. 


1^1 


! 


I 
I 


I 


S^MBk 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


"  Oh  Love,  they  die  in  yon  rich  »hy, 
They  faint  on  hill  and  field  cmd  river; 

Our  echoes  roll  from  soul  to  soul, 
And  grow  forever  and  forever." 

TBNNTBOW. 


atm 


-*"^-''^^"  ^ 


XXXT 


YOLNO  MEN  FOB  WAR 


RUMOR  was  rife  on  the  college  quadrangle 
one  November  day  in  1911.  A  special  meet- 
ing of  the  Faculty  had  resulted  in  the  post- 
ing- of  the  extraordinary  announcement  that  any 
student  so  desiring  would  be  excused.  Wh«'  -I'l 
it  mean?  This:  that  the  leaders  of  the  r6/*;lu- 
tionary  movement  in  Foochow  had  determined  to 
open  fire  on  the  Manchu  garrison  at  daylight  next 
morning.  They  had  courteously  advised  the  col- 
lege president  and  other  foreigners  of  their  in- 
tentions ;  hence  the  students  were  given  full  free- 
dom of  action. 

Some  would  be  in  the  ranks,  others  would  be 
on  guard  duty,  still  others  would  serve  in  the 
Red  Cross  Ambubice  Corps,  and  some  were 
needed  at  home. 

Squads  of  young  men  in  uniform  were  soon  on 
the  road  leading  to  the  revolutionist  headquarters. 
For  six  months  **  The  Students'  Athletic  Asso- 
ciation," an  organization  quite  outside  of  college 
authority,  had  been  drilling,  with  guns,  out  of 
school  hours  of  course.  For  some  weeks  the 
echoes  of  the  revolution  in  the  north  had  been 
growing  louder  and  more  i^isistent.  Now  the  day 
had  come ;  to-morrow  they  would  fight 

905 


206 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


And  fight  they  did.  One  college  student,  a 
Freshman,  was  among  the  first  to  fall.  He  was 
an  earnest  Christian,  the  only  son  of  his  mother, 
and  she  a  widow.  His  grandmother,  once  a  wor- 
shipper of  idols,  now  a  willing  worker  in  women's 
classes,  lately  told  me  how  Teacher  Sites'  ex- 
hortations, long  ago,  helped  her  to  the  light.  At 
the  memorial  services  to  celebrate  the  valor  of 
this  young  man,  mother  and  grandmother  occu- 
pied seats  of  honor  and  heard  the  Governor- 
General  of  the  province  and  other  officials,  dvil 
and  military,  tell  how  much  the  new  Repubho 
owed  to  the  work  of  Christian  education. 

Was  it  only  empty  eulogy!  Hardly.  When,  a 
little  later,  the  student  volunteers  who  were  quar- 
tered in  the  great  temple  outside  the  east  gate 
of  Foochow  smashed  the  idols,  big  and  little,  and 
cast  their  fragments  into  the  street,  was  it  only 
a  boyish  prank  t  No.  Listen.  One  day  toward 
the  erd  of  January  a  battalion  of  Foochow  stu- 
dents was  embarking  for  the  north  to  join  in  the 
advaLce  on  Peking.  There  were  three  hundred 
and  fi:fty  of  them,  from  government  schools  and 
mission  colleges.  A  teacher  in  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College,  who  was  on  the  jetty  to  see  them  ofF, 
asked  one  of  his  old  boys : '  •  Have  you  many  Chris- 
tians in  your  battalion?  "  "  Yes,"  was  the  an- 
swer, •*  about  one-fourth  of  us  are  Christians; 
and  we  have  prayers  every  night." 

Not  long  after  that  scene  of  volunteering,  there 
was  another  in  the  college  chapel.  This  was  for 
a  cause  in  which  American  professors  were  free 


YOUNG  MEN  FOR  WAR 


207 


to  take  part ;  but  the  speaker  was  a  Chinese  saint. 
It  was  the  last  day  of  the  week  of  prayer  in  the 
college.  The  message  was  a  call  to  service. 
"  You  answered  the  call  of  your  country,'*  he 
said;  "  now  it  is  for  you  to  make  your  country 
worth  saving.  How  many  here  are  willing  to 
listen  to  the  call  of  God  to  go  out  among  your 
own  people  and  preach  a  gospel  which  delivers 
menf  "  Full  half  a  hundred  responded.  From 
them  wiU  be  recruited  trained  leaders  in  the 
greater  revolution  of  China's  spiritual  and  social 
order. 

In  a  way,  that  hour  was  the  fruition  of  the 
work  of  thirty  years.  I  think  the  men  who  helped 
to  lay  the  foundations  of  the  college  must  have 
looked  down  with  joy  into  these  illumined  faces 
eager  for  the  new  crusade.  Above  the  chapel  plat- 
form is  a  beautiful  memorial  window  to  one  of 
them,  with  the  words  in  Chinese:  **  The  Cross  my 
only  Glory."  Here,  then,  were  to  be  conjoined 
the  culture  of  the  schools  and  the  power  of  the 
Cros3. 

The  founding  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  at 
Foochow  in  1881  involved  a  new  departure.  It 
was  the  first  of  its  type.  Mission  colleges  in 
China  were  few.  The  teaching  of  English  in  mis- 
sion schools  «7as  almost  unheard  of;  and  when 
it  was  discussed  it  was  generally  disapproved  by 
mission  authorities.  But  in  this  case  the  enter- 
prise was  a  part  of  the  returns  made  by  the  native 
church  to  the  parent  church. 

The  initiative  was  taken  by  the  Chinese,  espe- 


206 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


dally  by  the  preachers.  After  the  orgamzation 
of  the  Foochow  Conference,  Bishop  Wiley  had 
reported  thus  upon  the  native  ministry:  "  The 
elder  of  these  ministers,  now  the  leaders  in  the 
conference,  have  devoted  themselves  exclusively 
to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  their  people, 
and  organizing  and  superintending  the  churches; 
so  they  have  had  no  time  for  acquiring  the  lan- 
guage of  the  missionaries.  But  they  know  their 
own  language,  their  country,  their  people,  their 
history,  their  classics  and  their  philosophy;  and 
they  know,  as  we  cannot  know,  the  strength  of 
superstition  and  the  degrading  influence  of  idol- 
atry. They  know,  too,  the  bigotry  of  their  nation, 
and  the  power  of  that  bigotry  as  it  confronts  them 
on  every  side.  It  is  not  strange  that  these  men 
are  the  staunchest  friends  of  education,  and  are 
longing  and  laboring  earnestly  to  build  up  insti- 
tutions of  learning  in  connection  with  the 
Church." 

Latterly  the  older  preachers  had  begun  to  seek 
the  co-operation  of  the  Mission  in  making  due 
provision  for  the  higher  education  of  their  chil- 
dren. You  remember  their  appeal  for  the  teach- 
ing of  the  classics  to  their  girls.  Old  China's 
pulse  was  beating  quicker.  Without  doubt  a  lew 
era  was  coming.  Would  it  be  possible  for  them 
to  prepare  their  sons,  under  Christian  auspices, 
for  usefulness  and  position  in  the  New  China  f 

Just  at  this  time  a  series  of  providences,  a 
working  together  of  circumstances,  led  the  small 
Mission  force  to  the  conviction :  '*  Now  is  the  time 


YOUNG  MEN  FOR  WAR 


209 


and  here  is  the  place  to  establish  an  Anglo- 
Chinese  College."  To  found  English-speaking 
schools — says  the  Journal — ^has  never  been  onr 
object;  but  the  time  has  come  for  the  recognition 
of  the  English  language  in  our  Mission.  The 
spread  of  the  gospel  has  created  a  demand  for 
higher  educational  facilities,  and  God  has  rai^od 
up  native  help  just  at  the  opportune  time.  We 
have  now  offered  to  us  a  gift  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  from  a  Chinese  merchant,  to  found  a  Chris- 
tian college  in  which  both  Chinese  and  English 
shall  be  taught. 

Mr.  Diong  Ahok,  the  generous  giver,  starting 
out  in  life  a  penniless  lad,  was  at  this  time  the 
head  of  a  prosperous  mercantile  firm.  Best  of 
all,  while  meditating  this  magnanimous  proposi- 
tion, he  gave  his  heart  to  God  and  his  name  as 
a  member  of  the  Church.  His  keen  business  sense 
told  him  the  great  advantage  of  modem  educa- 
tion for  the  youth  of  China,  and  he  wanted  them 
to  get  training  of  character  as  well.  His  love 
for  the  Chinese  preachers  made  him  especially 
desirous  to  provide  good  educational  facilities  for 
their  bright  boys. 

By  the  terms  of  the  gift,  the  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars was  to  be  applied  to  the  purchase  of  a  piece 
of  property,  comprising  about  two  acres,  lying 
adjacent  to  our  mission  compound,  on  an  elevated 
slope.  Upon  this  stood,  and  still  stands,  a  spa- 
cious two-story  mansion,  well-built  and  in  excel- 
lent repair.  It  had  been  built,  and  occupied  for 
some  years,  by  a  London  banking  firm.    The  site 


210 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


commands  a  superb  view  of  the  river  Min,  and 
beyond  it  the  suburbs  and  city  of  Foochow, 
stretching  away  five  miles  to  the  north.  Grassy 
lawns,  flowers  and  dwarf  evergreens  adorned  the 
grounds,  besides  a  majestic  banyan  and  some 
stately  pines.  This  entire  property  was  now 
offered  to  the  Mission  as  the  site  of  an  Anglo- 
Chinese  College. 

Prompt  action  on  the  offer  was  imperative. 
Chinese  finance  is  an  uncertain  quantity.  Gen- 
erous impulses  are  often  at  the  mercy  of 
sudden  changes  in  family  or  business  circum- 
stances. 

It  happened  that  there  were  then  on  the  field 
only  three  missionaries  of  our  Board:  Sites, 
Ohlinger  and  Chandler.  They  were  not  only  ten 
thousand  miles  distant,  but  a  year  in  time,  from 
effectual  consultation  with  headquarters  in  New 
York,  If  Mr.  Ahok's  offer  were  laid  over  for  a 
year,  no  one  could  foresee  what  his  business  cir- 
cumstances would  be;  besides,  the  property  was 
now  available  and  must  be  secured  at  once.  This 
necessitated  the  creation  of  a  Board  of  Trustees 
and  the  adoption  of  a  form  of  constitution  under 
which  they  should  hold  office.  Thus  was  the  Mis- 
sion led  on  from  step  to  step.  Having  satisfied 
their  own  minds  that  the  thing  ought  to  be  done, 
and  done  now,  their  only  course  was  to  act,  and 
take  the  responsibility  of  showing  that  their  ac- 
tion was  right.  They  first  accepted  the  proposal 
and  then  sought  the  parental  blessing. 


riMiili 


Man 


YOUNG  MEN  FOE  WAR 


211 


In  reporting  what  they  had  done,  they  asked 
for  two  men  to  be  sent  out  to  take  up  this  college 
work  at  once.  They  also  forwarded  to  the  Gen- 
eral Missionary  Committee  for  approval  the  Con- 
stitution adopted  and  a  clear  statement  of  the 
steps  that  had  been  taken,  and  the  principles  on 
which  the  college  was  founded.  In  the  meantime, 
the  enterprise  was  launched  with  Bev.  Franklin 
Ohlinger  as  president.  Wisely  and  well  he  guided 
the  new  venture  through  the  breakers.  As  there 
were  only  three  missionary  families  of  us  and  no 
natives  who  could  speak  or  read  English,  we  all 
tried  to  help  a  little.  I  remember  one  morning 
running  over  to  see  Mrs.  Ohlinger  and  her  three- 
weeks-old  baby.  I  found  her  sitting-room  had 
become  a  classroom;  while  reclining  on  a  couch 
she  taught  a  long  row  of  happy  youths  to  read 
and  spell.  She  apologized,  saying  she  was  only 
substituting  while  her  husband  was  giving  a  lec- 
ture in  the  theological  school.  In  the  present 
halcyon  days  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  the 
vicissitudes  of  its  beginnings  are  likely  to  be  for- 
gotten. 

The  logic  of  the  situation  was  convincing,  and 
our  authorities  at  home  accepted  full  responsibil- 
ity. Bev.  George  B.  Smythe  was  sent  out  espe- 
cially for  the  college  and  was  appointed  president. 
•*  I  would  that  the  whole  Church  could  see,"  he 
wrote  back,  **  what  splendid  opportunities  this 
work  presents,  how  many  through  it  are  reached 
who  otherwise  were  forever  inaccessible.  This 
college  is  a  Christian  opportunity.    The  Christian 


212 


THE  TEIUMPH  SONG 


Chinese  who  founded  it  was  assuredly  raised  up 
by  Ood  for  this  enterprise." 

The  generous  founder  later  added  a  gift  of  four 
thousand  dollars.  He  was,  of  course,  greatly 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  "liege,  and  often 
came  from  his  home  in  the  early  morning  that 
he  might  be  present  with  the  students  at  the 
chapel  service;  he  sometimes  led  in  prayer  and 
often  talked  familiarly  with  the  young  men,  urg- 
ing them  to  diligence  in  study  and  to  careful 
obedience  to  the  rules.  Often,  as  he  passed,  he 
would  drop  in  quite  informally  to  breakfast  with 
us. 

Mr.  Ahok  was  a  notable  type  of  the  open- 
minded,  open-hearted  Chinese  gentleman.  His 
palatial  Dative  house  was  open  to  his  missionary 
friends  and  to  any  whom  they  introduced,  and 
his  lavish  hospitality  made  memorable  the  visit 
to  Foochow  of  many  a  friendly  tourist.  The  man- 
sion consisted  of  a  series  of  three  distinct  houses 
of  exactly  the  same  design  but  each  in  succession 
more  ornate,  with  larger  mirrors,  more  elaborate 
fixtures,  deeper  carved  ebony  furniture  and  more 
exquisite  hangings  than  the  one  preceding  it. 
Each  was  built  around  the  four  sides  of  an  open 
square,  in  which  stood  symmetrically  arranged 
rows  of  rare  potted  plants  according  to  the  sea- 
son, and  queer  dwarfed  shrubw  trained  into  gro- 
tesque figures  of  beasts  and  birds  and  native 
junks.  In  the  third  and  most  beautiful  bouse, 
many  foreigners  tasted  for  the  first  time  sharks' 
fins,  birds'  nest  soup  and  the  countless  other 


YOUNG  MEN  FOR  WAR 


213 


dainties  for  which  a  Chinese  banquet  is  famous, 
served  in  finest  China,  with  ivory  chopsticks  and 
golden  spoons. 

Mrs.  Ahok  was  as  broad  of  view  as  her  hus- 
band; indeed,  along  literary  lines,  she  was  far 
in  advance  of  him,  having  been  one  among  the 
limited  number  of  Chinese  girls  taught  to  read 
and  write.    Like  the  late  Empress  Dowager,  she 
was  of  artistic  tastes  and  scholarly  mind.    She 
had  mastered  the  famous  classics  of  her  country, 
and  read  much  of  its  history,  poetry  and  litera- 
ture.   Whether  in  her  European  drawing-room 
or  Chinese  reception  hall,  she  was  always  the 
charming  and  graceful  hostess.    Gowned  in  the 
choicest  silks  and  brocades,  and  supported  on  the 
arm  of  her  maid,  she  could  step  daintily  forth  on 
her  tiny  bound  feet,  to  greet  one  guest  after  an- 
other.   She  and  her  good  husband  were  both  given 
to  hospitality,  and  never  seemed  happier  them- 
selves than  when  making  others  happy. 

Some  people  say:  China  has  rich  men;  why 
send  teachers  and  establish  mission  colleges! 
Others  say:  Only  the  poorest  of  the  people  be- 
come Christians.  China  has,  indeed,  many  well- 
to-do  men.  Of  such  men,  more  than  one  have 
become  followers  of  the  Christ  and  benefactors 
of  their  countrymen.  But  China's  rich  men,  like 
China's  rich  mountains,  still,  for  the  most  part, 
await  the  touch  of  the  Master  who  will  transmute 
their  wealth  into  blessing  to  China  and  to  the 
world.     In  the  founding  of  the  Anglo-Chinese 


214 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


College  the  Church  gained  a  new  point  of  contact 
with  rich  men  and  yonng  men,  men  who  are  the 
strength  of  China  to-day  and  will  be  her  rulers 
to-morrow. 


I  H 


i  ; 


i 


•uat 


wes- 


Transportation  in  Chiox 


xxxn 

HOME  FROM  THE  FRONT 


HAPPY  is  the  traveler  who  comes  to  a 
study  of  one  oriental  country  with  the 
equipment  of  long  residence  in  another. 
India  and  Egypt,  with  their  utterly  oriental  pop- 
ulations and  their  enlightened  western  adminis- 
trative systems,  are  apt  object-lessons  for  China. 
So  thought  Mr.  Sites,  when  in  1884,  returning  to 
America  as  delegate  to  the  General  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  he  enjoyed 
his  first  visit  to  Southern  Asia  and  the  Levant. 

In  the  Straits  Settlements  the  Chinese  are,  in 
fact,  the  predominant  element  in  the  population. 
Many  among  them  have  amassed  wealth  and  live 
in  princely  style.  At  Penang  Mr.  Sites  was  en- 
tertained by  one  such  merchant  prince,  whose 
family  had  emigrated  from  Foochow  a  generation 
or  two  before.  At  Malacca  are  memorials  of 
some  of  the  early  English  missionaries  to  China 
who  began  their  work  among  the  Chinese  here 
along  the  Malacca  straits. 

At  Calcutta  the  traveler  is  shown,  in  the  gar- 
dens of  the  Government  House,  a  group  of  cannon 
which  were  cast  in  China  and  have  Chinese  char- 
acters on  them.    The  tablet  in  front  records  with 

S15 


MKXOCOrY   RtSOlUTION   TBT  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


Ik 


IB 
U 


■yuu 


12^ 


13.2 


1 3.6 


14.0 


Hi 

2.2 


H^ 


1.8 


^    /APPLIED  IN/MGE    |p 


'653  East  Moin  StrMt 

Rochester.   Ne«  York        14609       USA 

(716)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 

(716)   288  -  5989  -  Fox 


216 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


characteristic  British  modesty  that  they  were 
taken  from  the  Chinese  in  1842  and  brought  here 
to  commemorate  the  peace  dictated  to  the  Chinese 
government  under  the  walls  of  Nanking. 

Our  traveler  finds  his  old  friend  Scott  in  the 
very  heart  of  India  and  together  they  visit  famous 
shrines  while  they  live  over  their  old  college  days. 
In  a  Hindoo  temple  by  the  Ganges  he  comes  upon 
a  Buddhist  idol  with  a  Chinese  namel  He  brings 
home  a  brick  from  the  topee  where  Buddha  him- 
self taught,  just  outside  of  that  hot-bed  of  Hin- 
duism, Benares. 

In  the  tea  district  of  Darjeeling  he  meets  a 
well-to-do  Chinese  Christian,  whose  grandfather 
was  fetched  over  from  China  to  teach  the  Indians 
to  cultivate  tea.  He  looks  over  into  Thibet,  a 
part  of  China,  and  buys  a  well-worn  prayer-wheel 
from  a  pilgrim  lama. 

In  Egypt  and  Palestine  he  studies  the  records 
of  the  dust  and  traces  the  footsteps  of  Moses  and 
the  prophets.  To  his  brothers  in  China,  who  love 
the  flavor  of  reality,  he  will  carry  back  the  real 
Presence  from  many  a  spot  where  once  the 
Prophet  of  Nazareth  walked.  He  visits  the  Gar- 
den Tomb  on  the  knoll  which  has  been  identified 
as  the  true  Calvary,  by  Chinese  Gordon.  He  is 
a  good  observer,  bringing  much  knowledge  to 
each  new  scene  and  carrying  more  away. 

Like  Confucius,  he  asks  questions  about  every- 
thing. Like  the  great  Teacher,  his  chief  interest 
eyerjrwhere  is  men,  and  men  of  every  race  become 
his  brothers.    On  the  summit  of  Olivet  he  finds 


HOME  FROM  THE  FRONT 


217 


the  universal  prayer  inscribed  on  thirty-two 
marble  slabs  in  as  many  different  languages ;  one 
of  them  is  his  loved  Chinese. 

At  Beirut  he  makes  a  pilgrimage  to  the  grave 
of  Bishop  Kingsley,  who  died  here  before  ever 
he  reached  home  after  that  memorable  visitation 
to  Foochow,  when  he  cast  his  mantle  on  the  Seven. 
The  Syrian  Protestant  College  at  Beirut  with  its 
superb  equipment,  and  Robert  College  at  Con- 
stantinople with  its  fruitful  output  of  enlightened 
patriots,  both  stir  his  ambition  for  greater  things 
for  the  young  college  yonder  in  China. 

The  traveler  entered  New  York  harbor  on  a 
stately  steamer,  just  where  our  clipper  ship  had 
sailed  out  twenty-three  years  before.  In  the  in- 
terval an  infant  church  had  come  of  age.  In  the 
community  to  which  he  went  out,  the  Christians 
numbered  scarcely  more  than  one  hundred,  with 
no  native  ministry.  He  now  came  as  the  elected 
delegate  from  a  body  of  forty  ordained  ministers, 
serving  a  membership  of  some  four  thousand.  He 
had  served  his  apprenticeship.  After  Conference 
he  attended  commencement  exercises  at  old  Dela- 
ware and  found  himself,  to  his  surprise,  a  Doctor 
of  Divinity,  by  authority  of  his  Alma  Mater. 


mnrnr 
PEACE  HATH  HER  VICTORIES 

FOR  many  years  there  had  been  good  work 
and  steady  growth  on  the  part  of  the 
Church  among  the  people  of  a  mgged  little 
island,  Hai  Tang  by  name,  lying  off  the  coast 
from  Foochow.  It  has  a  population  of  some  sixty 
thousand.  Several  preaching  places  had  already 
been  established  and  the  people  had  been  gen- 
erally friendly. 

In  the  principal  town  of  the  island  a  small 
house  and  lot  had  been  bought  for  use  as  chapel 
and  parsonage.  A  dispute  had  arisen  between 
the  populace  and  the  church  members  over  the 
right  to  the  use  of  certain  land  in  Iront  of  the 
church.  Moreover,  a  modest  second  story  had 
been  built  on  the  parsonage  adjoining,  and  this 
was  denounced  as  a  deadly  affront  to  the  spirits 
of  the  air. 

The  local  Magistrate  seemed  hostile  to  the 
Church  and  his  attitude  encouraged  the  people 
to  violence.  One  day  the  chapel  was  attacked; 
windows  were  smashed  and  roof-tiles  broken  up. 
Only  after  time  for  r  nsiderable  mischief  had 
elapsed  did  the  Magistrate  come  forth  with  due 
dignity  and  advise  the  people  to  go  to  their  homes, 

818 


PEACE  HATH  HER  VICTORIES     219 

The  case  went  tip  to  the  American  Consul  and 
the  provincial  officials  at  Foochow.  After  much 
correspondence  the  issues  were  more  involved 
than  ever.  Meanwhile  the  Christians  on  the 
island  were  being  terrorized  and  pleaded  for  pro- 
tection. In  his  perplexity  the  Consul  turned  to 
Mr.  Sites. 

Mr.  Sites  had  now  rounded  out  thirty  years 
in  China.  He  held  the  confidence  of  both  officials 
and  people.  With  the  approval  of  the  Mission 
he  accepted  the  appointment  of  Deputy  Consul 
and  proceeded  to  Hai  Tang,  taking  with  him  as 
secretary  a  well-known  literary  man  from  Clear- 
water. 

By  this  time  the  trouble  making  Magistrate  had 
been  suspended.  The  new  Magistrate,  who  had 
been  appointed  to  conduct  negotiations  for  a  set- 
tlement, proved  to  be  a  keen,  intelligent,  wide- 
awake lawyer  with  a  fine  sense  of  justice.  With 
almost  American  directness — says  the  Journal — 
he  went  straight  to  the  essential  qnostions.  After 
an  inspection  of  the  fateful  second-story  room 
he  pronounced  it  unobjectionable  and  promised  it 
to  us  unmolested.  In  the  matter  of  our  boundary 
line  it  was  agreed  that  the  testimony  of  the  origi- 
nal landowner  and  all  the  thirteen  Ek'^rs  of  the 
city  wards  should  decide.  They  were  called;  they 
were  unanimous  tht.t  all  land  beyond  the  very 
comer  of  our  chapel  was  public  property;  so  we 
at  once  resigned  all  right  to  it,  and  promised  to 
remove  the  offending  wall  which  the  ol^nrch  peo- 
ple had  built  across  it.    The  entire  ^  immunity 


220 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


I 


was  pleased  at  this;  and  the  Magistrate  issued  a 
proclamation  which  was  posted  throughout  the 
city,  that,  owing  to  the  indefinite  wording  of  the 
deed  of  sale,  the  wall  had  been  built  without  in- 
tention of  usurpation  on  the  part  of  the  Chris- 
tians. He  also  ordered  to  be  erected  two  large 
stone  tablets,  one  on  either  side  of  the  chapel 
entrance,  setting  forth  the  same  fact  and  forbid- 
ding any  future  annoyance  which  might  seem  to 
make  a  protecting  wall  necessary. 

I  stated,  on  behalf  of  the  Christians,  that  (be- 
cause) we  believed  the  riot  had  been  instigated 
primarily  by  the  former  Magistrate  and  was  not 
due  to  any  positive  unkindness  on  the  part  of  the 
people;  iherefcre  we  wished  no  indemnity  ex- 
torted from  the  citizens,  nor  would  we  bring 
charges  against  any  of  them.  But  we  requested 
that  the  former  Magistrate  should  be  required  to 
furnish  workmen,  and  repair  all  damages. 

Many  points  of  law  demanded  attention;  eight 
interviews  were  held  with  the  Magistrate,  besides 
nine  exchanges  of  correspondence.  When  all  was 
settled,  he  made  out  a  report  for  his  superior 
officials  in  Foochow,  submitted  it  to  me  for  criti- 
cism, and  accepted  all  the  modifications  we  sug- 
gested. 

The  people  at  large  seemed  touched  by  the 
magnanimous  settlement  of  the  case,  which,  while 
requiring  justice,  was  considerate  of  them.  To 
express  their  gratitude,  the  thirteen  city  Elders 
arranged  to  come  to  our  chapel  and  apologize 
publicly  for  the  wrong  their  people  had  done  us. 


PEACE  HATH  HER  VICTORIES     221 

Such  a  ceremony  is  of  deep  significance  to  the 
Chinese  and  was  regarded  by  them  as  the  climax 
to  our  victory.  These  City  Fathers,  ranging  from 
fifty  to  seventy-five  years  of  age,  came  to  the 
chapel,  dressed  in  rich  cerp^r^onial  robes  and  wear- 
ing red  tasselled  Mandan  .  ^ts.  They  were  ac- 
companied by  the  military  band,  the  best  the 
island  could  boast.  We  were  in  readiness  to  re- 
ceive them,  and  returned  their  low  **  -ws  as  they 
entered.  On  the  table  they  placed  a  pair  of  big 
red  candles,  and  lighted  them.  This  was  a  sign 
of  reverence.  At  the  same  time  a  fusillade  of  fire- 
crackera  on  the  open  square  in  front  announced 
to  the  city  that  harmony  was  restored. 

They  sipped  tea  and  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace, 
while  their  spokesman  "i^de  a  speecn  of  apology, 
promising  so  to  inst^  '  3  younger  citizens  that 
hereafter  there  should  never  be  trouble,  but  per- 
petual peace  and  good  will  with  the  Christians. 

Before  leaving,  they  unfolded  and  hung  above 
our  chapel  doorway  an  immense  banner  ^f  red 
bunting,  two  and  a  half  feet  wide  and  fifteen  feet 
long.  Across  the  centre  were  four  large  gilt  char- 
actero  meaning  "  Chinese  and  Foreigners  are  of 
One  Heart."  In  smaller  gilt  characters,  at  the 
right:  **  Tendered  to  the  courteous  glance  of  the 
American  Missionary,  Doctor  Sites  ";  and  at 
the  left,  in  small  characters,  **  Presented  by  the 
united  body  of  the  Elders  of  the  City,  vith  their 
deepest  respect." 

Our  Chris  dans  had  been  so  alarmed  by  the 
sudden  danger  in  which  they  had  found  them- 


222 


THE  TBIUMPH  SONG 


selves  that  it  was  difficult  to  calm  and  reassure 
them.  But  frequent  and  earnest  prayer  with 
them,  accompanied  by  careful  study  and  practical 
application  of  Qod's  Word,  had  largely  accom- 
plished this ;  and  now  the  public  apology  dispelled 
their  doubts  and  fears. 

We  had  spent  twelve  hard,  hot  days  at  it,  and 
our  work  was  finished.  But  a  message  now  came 
fron  the  Magistrate  urging  us,  our  business  hav- 
ing been  completed,  to  remain  for  a  few  days 
of  rest  and  recreation.  This  we  well  knew  would 
involve  on  his  part  a  costly  banquet  for  us.  The 
City  Fathers  now  also  sent  word  asking  the  privi- 
lege of  preparing  us  a  feast  and  holding  a  theat- 
rical performance  for  our  entertainment  in  the 
open  square  before  our  chapel.  All  these  we  de- 
clined, not  caring  to  place  ourselves  or  the  church 
members  under  obligation  to  them;  and,  in  order 
to  avoid  being  coerced  into  acceptance,  we  left 
at  half-past  five  the  next  morning,  notwithstand- 
ing it  was  the  Sabbath. 

Before  leaving,  in  the  freshness  of  the  morn- 
ing, we  held  a  blessed  service  of  prayer  with  the 
little  group  of  church  members.  Then  we  pro- 
ceeded to  the  next  chapel  and  held  preaching  serv- 
ices. So  we  went  on,  preaching  in  our  chapels  at 
four  places  during  the  day.  After  the  last  service, 
which  was  at  the  seaport,  I  was  told  that  a  boat 
was  starting  for  the  mainland.  The  wind  being 
favorable,  and  feeling  tht  this,  too,  was  the 
Lord's  leading,  we  took  pa&sage.  These  boats 
are  only  small,  open  sailboats,  which  provide  no 


PEACE  HATH  HER  VICTORIES     223 

comforts  and  little  safety,  but  are  the  only  means 
of  transport.  In  our  case  the  elements  were 
favorable  and  our  trip  across  was  made  in  a  few 
hours.  We  arrived  in  time  for  an  evening  meet- 
ing at  our  chapel  in  the  landing  town,  and  spent 
the  night  there.  Another  hot  day  overland  and 
half  the  night  by  river  boat  brought  us  home. 

My  heart  says,  *'  Hallelujah,  for  the  Lord  God 
Omnipotent  reignethi  "  How  blesse^.  has  been 
fulfilled  His  promise,  '*  Lo,  I  am  with  yc  a  alway." 
Before  Magistrates,  in  the  face  of  an  angry  popu- 
lation, answering  vexed  questions  and  solving  por- 
tentous problems.  He  the  Lord  of  Hosts  has  been 
with  us  and  with  His  Church  on  the  little  ocean- 
bound  island.  To-day  our  cause  is  in  better  re- 
pute and  our  workers  have  more  opportunities 
than  ever  before.  *♦  Thanks  be  unto  God  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 


XXXIV 
AN  OVERTONE 


A  NATIVE  Chinese  elected  delegate  to  the 
General  Conference  I  This  was  the  message 
flashed  home  from  Foochow.  Now  for  the 
first  time  the  Methodist  Episcopal  ^nreh  in 
China  was  to  be  represented  in  its  highest  coun- 
cils by  one  of  its  own  ministers.  You  who  have 
followed  my  story  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn 
that  the  man  chosen  by  his  brethren  for  this  high 
honor  was  our  old  friend,  Elder  Sia. 

The  Christian  scholar  had  been  developing 
more  and  more,  as  the  years  passed,  in  qualities 
of  leadership.  Always  modest  and  unassuming, 
he  was  also  ready  to  take  responsibilities.  This 
was  well  illustrated  when  he  became  pastor  of  the 
great  central  church  at  Foochow.  Most  of  the 
missionaries  who  are  engaged  in  school  and  hos- 
pital work  at  Foochow  attend  there,  and  plans 
for  special  services  had  usually  been  left  to  their 
initiative.  But  Pastor  Sia,  immediately  after  his 
first  quarterly  meeting  on  that  charge,  began  re- 
vival services.  The  results  were  marked,  espe- 
cially in  decisions  for  Christ  on  the  part  of  stu- 
dents in  the  college  and  in  the  girls'  boarding 
school.    On  one  Sunday  morning  his  theme  was, 

224 


m 


Dr.  Sia. 


AN  OVERTONE  225 

**  Christ,  the  Living  Bread  "  Vividly  he  illus- 
'.i  ted  China's  spiritual  condition  by  comparing 
it  with  the  horrors  of  the  North  China  famine, 
when  men  ate  uneatable  things.  Starving  China, 
he  said,  was  eating,  that  is  worshipping,  the  dead 
men  of  the  past;  but  now  Christ,  the  satisfying 
portion,  had  cornel  It  was  a  wonderful  sermon 
and  strangely  moved  the  people. 

From  the  day  of  his  conversion  there  had  been 
no  more  dou*^^  in  the  m  •'d  of  Teacher  Sia  than 
there  was  in  the  mind        Saul  of  Tarsus,  that 
discipleship   meani    anoaiieship.     In   the   early 
years,  as  you  will  remember,  he  went  often  on 
extended  i  Inerarie    v/ith  Mr.  Sites.    A  favorite 
companioL  ja  these  evangelistic  joumeyings  was 
Lee,  the  quondam  blacksmith  of  Oxvale,  whose 
nightly  holding  forth  of  the  Word  of  Truth  in 
discussion  with  Teacher  Sia,  in  their  little  up- 
stairs bedroom,  had  been  a  potent  factor  in  bring- 
ing the  man  of  letters  into  the  light.    These  two 
men,  the  scholar  and  the  blacksmith,  made  a 
strong  preaching  team.     On  the  day  when  the 
scholar  was  ordp.aed  elder  in  the  Church  the 
blacksmith  was  ordained  deacon.     Three  years 
later,  when  the  annual  meeting  had  convened 
under  clouds  of  anxiety,  in  the  face  of  threatened 
secessions,  apparent  failure  of  the  self-support 
principle    and    open    rebellion    against    church 
authority  on  the  part  of  one  of  the  elders,  it  was 
in  the  preaching  of  the  consecration  sermon  by 
Sia  Sek  Ong  that  tue  Holy  Spirit  fell  in  power 
upon  the  whole  assembly,  melting  all  hearts  with 


1!^" 


226 


THE  TBIUMPH  SONG 


refining  fire,  moulding  wills  into  heroic  resolve 
to  reck  not  of  silver  but  of  souls,  and  bringing 
the  recalcitrant  elder  in  penitence  to  the  altar. 
Then  it  was  Lee  who  rose,  as  if  by  the  common 
consent  of  his  brethren,  to  voice  their  spirit  of 
complete  consecration.  I  well  remember  his  figure 
as  he  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  the  kneeling  band 
and  slowly  and  solemnly  spoke  as  if  for  all,  while 
his  face  shone  with  heaven's  own  light:  **  These 
hands  and  feet  are  henceforth  the  Lord's;  these 
eyes,  ears,  tongue,  mind,  soul,  all,  all  henceforth 
and  forever,  the  Lord's." 

During  these  years,  Teacher  Sia's  pen  had  con- 
tinued busy.  All  the  splendid  literary  equipment 
of  the  Confucianist  scholar  was  placed  on  the 
altar  of  his  new  faith  and  love.  A  tract  of  his, 
entitled  "  Who  is  Jesus  t  "  is  still  one  of  the 
classics  of  Chinese  Christian  literature.  At  one 
time  he  won  a  prize  offered  for  the  best  essay 
on  Chinese  marriage  and  burial  customs,  the  com- 
petition for  which  was  open  to  all  China.  In  the 
early  days,  with  Mr.  Sia  as  his  assistant  and 
writer,  Mr.  Sites  had  translated  a  number  of 
Wesley's  sermons,  many  of  which  were  published. 
For  many  years  he  was  either  assistant  or  prin- 
cipal in  the  theological  school,  where  his  literary 
culture  and  his  deep  spiritual  fervor  united  to 
make  his  influence  most  marked  upon  the  rising 
generation  of  preachers. 

Li  America  Mr.  Sia  made  a  profound  impres- 
sion by  his  breadth  of  mind,  noble  bearing  and 
spiritual  power.   His  sermons  and  addresses  were 


AN  OVERTONE 


227 


interpreted  nearly  always  by  Mr.  Sites,  who  had 
aooompanied  him  across  the  sea.  Beligious  news- 
papers compared  him  to  St.  Paul.  Some  said 
he  would  make  "  a  splendid  oriental  Bishop." 
He  was  characterized  as  **  a  true  Christian  phi- 
losopher, a  man  of  the  deepest  piety  and  high 
mental  culture.*'  In  the  course  of  his  tour  across 
the  country  an  American  university  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

Dr.  Sia's  interview  with  President  Cleveland 
in  Washington  was  doubtless  a  unique  incident 
in  both  their  careers.  It  was  at  a  period  when 
our  Chinese  exclusion  laws  were  much  more  dras- 
tic than  at  present,  and  Mr.  Sites  had  had  much 
trouble  and  anxiety  in  securing  permission  for 
the  delegate,  duly  provided  with  passport  as  he 
was,  to  land  at  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Sia  had  en- 
dured the  inconvenience  with  his  never  failing 
urbanity,  and  now  to  the  President,  as  represent- 
ing the  people,  he  returned  gracious  thanks  for 
the  courtesy  with  which  he  had  been  received  in 
America.  "  Since  landing  in  your  honorable 
country,"  he  said,  '•  I  have  been  treated  with 
marked  courtesy  and  kindness  in  every  city  and 
state  through  which  I  have  traveled,  and  to  whom 
is  it  more  fitting  that  I  should  come  to  offer  thanks 
than  to  the  President  of  this  great  nation  f 

"  While  visiting  the  Hall  of  Representatives 
wid  the  Senate  Chamber  yesterday,"  he  con- 
tinued, **  I  noticed,  in  passing  through  the  ro- 
tunda, a  large  painting  on  the  wall  representing 
a  company  of  people  on  board  a  ship,  kneeling 


II 


111 


228 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


aronnd  an  open  Bible.  On  inqniring  what  it 
meant  I  was  informed  that  those  people  were  jnst 
setting  ont  for  this  country  to  found  a  new  na- 
tion. And  now  in  so  short  a  time  what  wealth 
and  prosperity  have  flowed  in  upon  you  1  Has  it 
not  sprung  from  this  great  fountain  of  knowl- 
edge, the  Holy  Bible  f 

"  In  traveling  from  San  Francisco  to  Wash- 
ington I  was  delighted  all  along  the  way  with 
what  I  saw,  and  I  loved  your  civilization;  but 
loving  still  more  ardently  my  own  country,  China, 
I  desire  earnestly  that  she  may  soon  attain  to  all 
the  blessings  which  your  people  enjoy.'* 

The  President  said  in  reply,  that  it  gave  him 
pleasure  to  receive  such  expressions  of  apprecia- 
tion of  our  civilization  from  one  who  came  from 
an  oriental  land,  and  especially  from  one  who  had 
been  engaged  in  the  christianizing  of  his  own  peo- 
ple. The  President  declared  emphatically  that 
our  American  civilization  rested  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  Christianity  and  that  it  is  the  only  founda- 
tion upon  which  the  new  civilization  of  China  can 
with  safety  be  built. 

Dr.  Sia  returned  with  broader  vision  to  become 
more  than  ever  a  teacher  and  leader  of  his  own 
people.  Is  it  not  the  greatest  wonder  of  the 
world  to  note  what  one  man's  influence  may  do 
for  a  community?  When  Teacher  Sia  became  a 
Christian,  there  was  not  another  in  his  native 
village.  When  it  became  known  that  he  had  re- 
nounced his  ancestral  idols,  the  whole  village  rose 
in  wrath  to  cast  him  out.   His  clan  confiscated  his 


AN  OVERTONE 


229 


share  in  the  commimal  property.  Thirty  years 
later,  as  Mr.  Sites  went  throughout  all  parts,  he 
came  to  a  quarterly  meeting  of  the  church  in  that 
village.  The  Journal  tells  that  the  chapel  was 
filled  to  the  door  with  earnest  Christians  and  in- 
quirers, representing  all  ages,  from  young  cate- 
chists  to  the  great-grandfather  eighty-three  years 
old;  that  the  Christian  leaven  seemed  to  he  per- 
meating the  whole  village;  that  a  mass  meeting 
was  recently  held  in  the  old  village  temple  for 
the  purpose  of  forming  a  kind  of  mutual  pro- 
tective organization,  to  prevent  the  buying  or 
selling  of  opium,  to  stop  gambling,  stealing  and 
other  crimes  within  the  town  limits;  that  the 
thirty-two  elders  of  the  village,  four  of  whom 
are  earnest  Christians,  were  constituted  a  Board 
of  Aldermen,  before  whom  disputes  should  be 
brought  for  adjustment;  and  that  Sia  Sek 
Ong,  D.D.,  was  unanimously  elected  President  of 
this  Board  of  Aldermen.  Three  times  he  declined 
to  accept  this  honor,  because  of  his  duties  in  the 
Theological  school  in  Foochow;  but  they  would  not 
take  ''no,"  and  his  name  stands  as  honorary 
president  of  the  board. 

From  a  social  point  of  view  the  most  important 
diflference  between  a  heathen  and  a  Christian  land 
is  the  difFerence  of  moral  atmosphere.  When 
Christian  ideas  and  ideals  begin  to  be  absorbed 
unconsciously  by  children  as  they  are  growing 
up,  then  there  is  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
community.  This  will  be  evident  to  any  one  who 
makes  a  study  of  any  mission  field  where,  for  a 


'1 

li 
1 


■l\ 


II 


230 


THE  TEITJMPH  SONG 


generation  or  longer,  there  has  been  a  growing 
native  church.  The  stndent  of  Christian  sociology 
will  note,  for  example,  in  Foochow,  that  a  few 
family  names  figure  largely  in  lists  of  teachers, 
preadiers,  and  other  groups  of  workers  now  en- 
gaged in  various  branches  of  Christian  activity. 
One  name  much  in  evidence  is  the  surname  Hu; 
another  is  Sia.  The  life  of  Sia  Sek  Ong  would 
make  a  fruitful  study  in  social  evolution. 

Dr.  Sia  died  in  1897,  two  years  after  Mr.  Sites, 
but  several  years  his  junior.  He  had  attempted 
and  had  achieved  great  things  for  God.  Without 
complaint  and  without  a  moment's  faltering  he 
had  endured  extraordinary  hardships  for  the  faith 
since  that  Sunday  morning,  thirly-f our  years  be- 
fore, when  he  stood  in  our  little  prayer  meeting 
at  Oxvale  and  pledged  loyalty  to  his  new  Master. 
The  Galilean  had  conquered  throughout  those 
years, — conquered  in  many  souls  and  in  the  life 
of  many  communities.  How  much  of  the  conquest 
was  due  to  the  decision  of  that  hour,  who  can 
measure?  How  large  the  issues  of  that  hour  for 
China  through  years  yet  to  come,  in  the  building 
of  men,  in  the  purifying  of  the  Church,  in  the  re- 
newal of  society,  in  the  making  of  the  Christian 
nation  that  is  to  be,  eternity  will  tell. 


XXXV 

THE  HALLELUJAH  CHORUS 


IT  was  a  great  day  at  the  House  of  Lau  in 
the  Sixth  Township  village  of  Clearwater. 
The  rambling  old  castle  itself  had  changed  but 
little  since  the  day,  just  thirty  years  before,  when 
the  miasionaiy  was  first  received  within  its  for- 
bidding walls.    Now  a  whole  wing  of  the  andent 
castle  had  been  rented  and  famished  and  was 
to  be  opened  as  a  women's  training  school.    The 
pioneer  missionary  had,  a  year  or  two  before, 
been  assigned  again  to  this  field  of  his  early 
plantin.?.    His  daughter  Ruth  was  in  c'     ?e  of 
the  woman's  work  here,  and  together  t^  /  had 
planned  the  housing  of  the  school.    With  fore- 
sight, bom  of  experience,  Mr.  Sites  had  advised 
an  inspection  day  in  order  to  forestall  suspicion — 
to  avoid  any  seeming  mystery,  and  that  heathen 
neighbors  might  satisfy  their  curiop'ty  as  to  the 
whys  and  wherefors  of  provision  for  the  educa- 
tion of  Chinese  women.     On  the  evfej  therefore, 
of  the  formal  opening,  neighbors  and  friends 
from  near  and  far  had  been  invited  to  a  modestly 
grand   reception   and   to  inspect   the   arrange- 
ments. 

With  the  exception  of  the  native  clergy,  the 

281 


I 


■»kl.iiU 


v.-.-/' 


232 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


gaests  were  mostly  heathen  men,  including  the 
Mayor  and  Aldennen  and  the  village  Elders. 
They  had  come  with  msic  and  fire-crackers  and 
with  gifts  of  brilliant  silk  banners  inscribad  with 
mottoes  expressive  of  their  appreciation  of  the 
interest  taken  by  the  "  Enlightened  Christian 
Teachers  "  in  behalf  of  their  "  Benighted  woman 
kind."  The  successful  day  was  over,  and  weary 
but  happy  the  missionary  and  his  daughter  sat 
and  talked  of  their  guests  who  had  gone  and  of 
the  pupils  expected  on  the  morrow.  Suddenly 
across  the  fields  along  the  narrow  winding  road 
came,  staggering  and  cursing,  one  Lau,  a  desper- 
ate opium  fiend  and  a  small  shareholder  in  the 
Castle  property,— who  felt  his  portion  of  rent 
money  insufficient  and  who  wreaked  his  anger  in 
vile  vituperations  against  the  *•  Foreign  Devils." 
Loudly  he  beat  on  the  closed  gates,  demanding 
admittance,  that  he  might  pollute  with  poison 
and  filth  the  new  deep  well  of  crystal  water  which 
the  missionary  had  himself  recently  supervised 
the  digging  and  building  of,  in  the  school  court- 
yard. Every  one  else  was  for  barring  him  out, 
but  Mr.  Sites  went  in  person,  opened  the  gates 
and  welcomed  the  angry  guest  with  utmost  cour- 
tesy. Half  stunned  by  his  unexpectedly  kind  re- 
ception, Mr.  Lau  permitted  himself  to  be  led  to 
a  seat,  to  accept  tea  and  cakes  and  other  signs 
of  hospitality,  though  he  looked  with  sullen  silence 
into  the  smiling  face  of  the  missionary  and  lis- 
tened half-heeding  to  his  kindly  words.  Could 
this  winsome  man,  whose  arm  in  brotherly  fashion 


THE  HALLELUJAH  CHORUS        233 

was  resting  on  his  feeble,  opium-poisoned  frame, 
be  the  "  Forcdgn  Devil  "  of  whom  he  had  so 
angrily  thought  but  whom  he  had  never  before 
seen?    The  long,  friendly  interview  ended. 

No  poit3on  went  into  the  well,  but  poison  was 
still  in  the  man.  Here  was  another  challenge  to 
the  power  of  the  Christ. 

The  jifxt  day,  when  Mr.  Lau  approached  the 
foot-bridge  to  cross  the  creek  for  his  usual  seance 
in  the  opium  shop,  the  missionary  met  him. 

**  I  was  thinking  of  calling  on  you,  Mr.  Lau," 
he  said;  **  would  it  be  convenient  for  you  to  come 
with  me  to  my  house?  " 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  go  back.  The 
same  thing  happened  on  several  succeeding  days. 
Each  day  in  his  private  room  the  missionary 
knelt  with  Mr.  Lau,  and  Another  was  in  their 
midst.  The  presence  became  a  Power,  and  one 
day  the  slave  of  opium  found  himself  free.  There- 
after arose  a  saying  among  the  natives  that  all 
Dr.  Sites  had  to  do  was  to  put  his  arm  over  a 
man's  shoulder  and  that  man  became  a  Christian. 
Telling  the  story,  as  he  loved  to  do,  after  years 
of  faithful  discipleship,  Mr.  Lau  was  asked: — 

**  How  do  you  explain  it?  " 

"  Man  cannot  save  man,"  he  answered;  **  but 
that  man  walked  daily  with  God  and  through  him 
came  the  power  of  God  to  me." 

Mr.  Sites  had  thrown  himself  into  this  new 
work  on  old  ground  with  all  the  zest  of  pioneer 
days.    Eemarkable  revival  and  ingathering  had 


H 


234 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


ensued.  In  two  years  the  membership  had  in- 
creased sevenfold;  and  now  at  the  New  Year  sea- 
son, a  few  months  after  the  incident  of  the 
woman's  school  opening,  he  had  planned  a  week 
of  special  meetings  in  the  Sixth  Townsk'p  Church. 
It  was  to  culminate  in  the  love-feast  and  Holy 
Communion  service  on  Sunday.  Our  daughter 
Buth  was  there  to  help  with  the  work  among  the 
women,  and  with  her  was  "  Mother  "  Nind,  of 
wide  missionary  fame.  I  was  at  that  time  in 
Amcnca. 

Usually  the  holiday  season  is  a  poor  time  for 
meetings,  but  this  week  the  church  was  th'  onged. 
Each  day  was  filled  with  opportunities  and  there 
were  many  conversions.  It  was  a  week  of  supreme 
joy  for  Mr.  Sites.  Those  who  heard  him  in  the 
services  wondered  at  the  power  of  his  prayers 
and  exhortations.  Those  who  were  with  him  in 
the  home  felt  that  even  the  blessing  at  table  had 
in  it  the  hush  of  the  holy  of  holies. 

Sunday  was  the  climax  of  the  week.  A  large 
class  were  baptized  and  received  into  the 
Church.  Among  them  we)  v^  men  who  a  f «  w  months 
before  were  vile  sinners,  opium  smokers  and 
gamblers,  now  saved  by  the  power  of  God.  The 
love-feast  was  full  of  rapid,  clear  testimonies 
from  evidently  saved  men  and  women.  When  one 
man,  regarded  as  the  wickedest  in  the  district, 
and  another,  nearly  a  mate  for  him  in  sin,  both 
testified  clearly  to  sins  forgiven  and  joy  in  believ- 
ing, Mr.  Sites,  his  face  aglow,  turned  to  his  daugh- 
ter and  said,  **  Pretty  near  heaven,  this,  isn't  it. 


THE  HALLELUJAH  CHOBUS       235 


dearf  **  And  it  was  nearer  for  liim  than  he 
thought. 

Betnming,  that  evening,  to  their  rooms  at  the 
old  castle,  Mr.  Sites  said:  **  How  many  years  I 
spent  in  seed  sowing!  Bat  the  Lord  has  been 
wonderfully  good  to  me.  Lately  I  have  been  reap- 
ing, reaping.  What  a  glad,  rich  Sabbath  day  this 
has  been! '' 

His  aseal  had  consumed  him.  That  night,  fever 
developed.  After  two  days,  with  no  improve- 
ment, he  was  carried  by  loving  hands  to  a  little 
native  boat,  in  the  bottom  of  which  his  bedding 
had  been  spread,  and  on  this  he  was  gently  laid, 
for  his  last  trip  to  Foochow.  On  a  great  flat  rock 
beside  the  stream  the  Christians  knelt  while  the 
Chinese  pastor  prayed.  "  And  they  all  wept  sore, 
sorrowing  most  of  all  that  they  should  see  his 
face  no  more.''  He  joined  in  the  earnest  Amen 
which  closed  the  prayer,  then  lying  in  the  little 
boat  he  raised  his  hands  and  pronounced  the  bene- 
diction,— ^his  last  act  of  public  ministry  and  fitly 
closing  his  life's  work.  The  next  Sabbath,  at 
the  vesper  hour,  he  fell  asleep.  The  short  winter 
twilight  deepened  into  night;  but  **  he  felt  upon 
his  fevered  brow  the  breath  of  the  eternal  morn- 
ing." 

Among  those  who  rose  to  speak  at  the  memo- 
rial service  was  a  literary  man  from  Clearwater. 
He  said:  **  We  who  were  often  with  Teacher 
Sites  during  the  past  year,  observed  that  the  more 
we  reminded  him  of  his  need  of  rest,  the  more 
assiduously  he  worked.    He  kept  preaching  from 


\U 


n 


236 


THE  TBroMPH  SONO 


pulpit  to  pulpit,  from  village  to  village,  from 
man  to  man.  Everywhere  he  lifted  up  Jesus 
Christ,  and  everywhere  men  were  drawn  onto 
Him." 

The  fnneral  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Sia. 
More  than  five  hundred  native  Christianu  fol- 
lowed the  coffin  to  the  grave,  all  dressed  in  white. 
This  is  the  Chinese  garb  of  mourning.  But  they 
seemed  rather  to  symbolize  that  welcoming  com- 
pany of  the  redeemed  who  are  arrayed  in  white 
robes,  their  garb  of  purity  and  joy,  as  they  sing 
the  triumph  song. 

One  of  the  native  preachers  in  the  Oldfield  dis- 
trict died  a  few  days  later,  not  yet  having  heard 
of  Mr.  Sites'  translation.  Shortly  befrre  his 
death  he  lay  for  some  hours  in  a  trance.  On  awak- 
ening from  it,  he  clapped  his  hands  and  looking 
radiantly  happy,  said  to  the  sorrowing  friends 
who  stood  about  him:  "  Do  not  mourn  for  me.  I 
have  seen  into  heaven.  I  came  near  the  gate  and 
saw  within  it  a  vast  company,  all  clothed  in  white. 
The  first  one  I  recognized  was  Teacher  Sites.  He 
stepped  from  among  the  crowd  and  grasped  both 
my  hands,  exclaiming,  *  Oh,  my  brother,  I  am 
glad  you  have  come.'  Then  he  led  me  just  inside 
the  gates  of  that  beautiful  city;  but  I  came  back 
only  to  tell  you  what  I  had  seen  and  to  say 
good-bye."  Thus  did  Oldfield  first  hear  of  the 
Homegoing  of  their  beloved  missionary. 

Some  years  afterward  in  Yenping  I  met  a  noble 
young  preacher  by  the  name  of  Lau.  I  asked 
him  if  he  had  3ver  met  Mr.  Sites. 


iijii 


a 

n 

'* 

2 
C 


I/) 

o 

S 

b 

t/5 


0 

E 


to 

c 


:l 


The  Mission  Cemetery,  Foochow. 


THE  HALLELUJAH  CHORUS       237 

**  Met  him  I  **  he  cried,  his  voice  trembling  with 
emotion.  **  Had  it  not  been  for  him  I  should  be  a 
beggar  to-day.  It  wai  he  who  saved  my  father 
from  opinm,  away  down  in  Clearwater,  years 
ago." 

A  few  days  later,  the  father,  a  fine  old  gentle- 
man, a  respected  teacher  in  the  boys'  school  at 
Clearwater,  called  to  see  me.  The  tenderness 
with  which  he  spoke  of  his  winning  to  God  was 
beantifnl. 

"  Some  months  after  Teacher  Sites  returned 
to  heaven,*'  he  said,  "  ;  was  taken  seriously  ill. 
The  native  doctor  jaid  I  must  take  opium  or  die. 
*  I  will  not  take  it,'  I  told  him;  '  I  would  rather 
die  and  meet  Teacher  Sites  in  heaven  with  clean 
mouth  and  clean  heart! '  " 


Thus  many  an  humble  heart-strain  among  the 
sons  of  men  throbs  in  tune  with  the  heavenly 
chorus  whose  music  is  the  gladness  of  the  world. 


XXXVI 
THE  SINGEE 

IT  is  a  difficult  task  to  analyze  the  character 
behind  an  active  life.  It  may  also  be  need- 
less, when  the  activities  of  that  life  have  al- 
ready been  sketched  in  some  detail.  But  I  must 
try  to  gather  the  essential  lines  of  the  subject 
into  a  miniature.  His  life  was  singularly  rounded 
and  complete  within  its  sphere.  His  was  an 
abounding  life,  like  a  spring  of  living  water.  He 
was  not  only — 

**  Fed  from  within  with  all  the  strength  he 
needs,"  but  his  was  a  life  of  that  self-giving 
sort: — 


"Whose  waten  overflow 
To  deaerU  of  the  aoul,  long  heaten  dovm 
By  the  brute  hoof  of  habit,  till  they  spring 
In  manifold  upheaval  to  the  sun." 

This  exuberance  of  life  had  a  physical  basis. 
He  had  a  thoroughly  sound  body  and  he  always 
gave  heed  to  keeping  it  sound.  He  ate  simply, 
slept  well,  rose  early.  His  bath,  devotions,  and 
morning  walk,— usually  including  a  friendly 
call,— were  all  enjoyably  achieved  before  most  of 
the  world  was  astir.  His  abounding  vitality  seems 


THE  SINGER 


239 


to  lend  support  to  a  certain  modem  interpretation 
of  the  blessing  pronounced  upon  the  meek.  They 
inherit  the  earth  because  their  inexhaustible  en- 
ergy serves  all  their  own  needs  and  the  needs  of 
other  people  as  well.  In  circumstances  where 
physical  comforts  were  lacking,  as  is  often  the 
case  in  overland  trips  in  China,  it  was  always  he 
who  was  able  to  make  things  a  little  pleasanter 
and  easier  for  others. 

His  normal  weight  was  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  pounds,  his  height  five  feet  eleven. 
Deep-chested,  strong-limbed,  always  erect  in 
bearing,  he  gave  the  impression  of  being  a  man 
of  much  more  than  ordinary  size.  His  features 
were  regular,  his  eyes  blue.  He  usually  wore  a 
full  beard,  which,  in  his  last  twenty  years  of  serv- 
ice, was  touched  more  and  more  with  gray.  This 
gave  him  a  strong  first  claim  to  respect  and  ven- 
eration among  the  Chinese. 

In  temperament  he  was  cheerful,  affable,  giving 
himself  whole-heartedly  to  his  friends.  In  the 
presence  of  what  seemed  like  unfriendliness  or 
disapproval  he  maintained  a  certain  approachable 
reserve.  I  think  he  might  be  called  an  ideal 
guest.  He  was  certainly  so  regarded  by  his  Chi- 
nese friends,  in  whose  homes  he  was  received,  not 
indeed  as  a  guest,  but  as  a  father  and  brother. 
Children  loved  him  and  clung  to  him.  In  his  home 
letters,  as  in  his  family  life,  he  showed  only  his 
heart  of  love ;  but  in  the  privacy  of  his  journal  I 
find,  sometimes,  sentiments  of  self-reproach  and 
discouragement  at  what  he  conceived  to  be  his 


240 


THE  TRIUMPH  SONG 


If 

I 
j 


Bhortco^iiings   in   that   holiness,  the   pursuit   of 
which  was  the  dominant  impulse  of  his  life. 

His  mental  habits  were  orderly  and  definite, 
like  the  square  and  plumb  of  his  carpenter's  train- 
ing. His  sermons  were  carefully  prepared  and 
outlined,  his  English  sermons  sometimes  written 
out  in  full.  P  t  the  records  of  his  meditations— 
usually  in  the  freshness  of  the  morning— showed 
best  the  thorough  quality  of  his  thinking.  Often 
in  his  devotions,  and  always  when  working  out 
problems  of  mission  polity,  he  would  record  in 
order  the  steps  by  which  he  came  to  the  height  of 
his  argument.  Likewise  the  utmost  precision 
marked  his  management  of  church  records,  treas- 
urer's books  and  all  business  matters. 

His  mind  was  broadly  hospitable  to  the  great 
world  of  ideas,  but  none  found  permanent  lodg- 
ment there  if  it  did  not  serve  his  master-passion. 
His  work  absorbed  him.  It  was  evident  even  in 
his  letters  to  his  family  that  his  thought  life  was 
in  China.  The  little  companies  of  believers  in 
quiet  valleys  and  on  rugged  mountain  slopes  in 
China  were  his  brothers  and  sisters  and  mothers; 
and  when  on  furlough  in  America  he  was  restless 
to  be  back  on  the  field. 

Said  his  classmate.  Professor  Whitlock:  ''  The 
greatness  of  his  life  was  to  be  seen  in  his  Chris- 
tian character  and  consecration.  These  were  so 
marked  and  vivifying  that  they  seemed  to  rec  jt 
and  invigorate  his  whole  being.  His  charai  .er 
was  one  of  great  symmetry.  To  the  casual  ob- 
server there  was  no  marked  individuality  in  any 


THE  SINGER 


241 


feature  of  it,  but  his  friends  knew  that  it  had  no 
weak  place." 

In  a  characteristic  tribute,  one  of  his  Chinese 
fellow-workers  said:  "When  Dr.  Sites  came  to 
China  thirty-four  years  ago  I  was  not  yet  bom 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  I  soon  heard  of  his 
work,  of  his  traveling,  preaching,  and  bookselling 
in  villages  by  the  seaside  and  in  remote  places. 
He  did  not  shun  the  wicked,  though  he  himself 
was  virtuous ;  he  did  not  fear  the  vile,  though  he 
was  pure.  People  readily  came  near  him,  and  on 
first  acquaintance  even,  had  confidence  in  him  as 
a  friend  and  safe  ad^Hser.  In  the  far  interior, 
when  he  found  himself  in  need,  away  among 
strangers,  people  would  gladly  offer  him  money 
to  be  refunded  later  on  his  reaching  home.  His 
very  tone  and  manner  enlisted  confidence  and  love. 
The  officials  knew  him  and  praised  him  for  his 
humility  and  his  never-failing  sense  of  justice. 
How  patient  and  forgiving  he  was  1  At  Yenping 
when  he  was  mobbed  even,  many  years  ago,  and 
his  eyes  nearly  put  out,  he  was  nevertheless 
patient  with  the  evil-doers,  and  would  accept  no 
indemnity  for  losses.  But  now  his  warfare  in 
his  Master's  name  is  ended.    He  sees  the  King." 


xxxvn 

CAMP-FIBE 


S 


FIFTY  years  have  passed  since  the  coming 
of  the  "  Cathay."  It  is  the  annual  love- 
feast  honr.  With  eye  undimmed  and  form 
erect  despite  his  superannuate  dignity,  Wilder 
Yek  comes  forward  to  take  the  leader's  chair,  as 
by  right  of  seniority  he  should.  He,  the  young- 
est of  the  Seven,  is  the  only  one  left  of  those  who 
first  in  this  Church  of  the  Heavenly  Best  took 
upon  them  the  vows  of  God.  Rising  now,  he  looks 
out  upon  the  sea  of  faces  before  him. 

The  house  of  meeting  is  many  times  larger  than 
of  old,  and  to-day  it  is  filled  to  the  doors.  Men 
and  women  are  here — leaders  fresh  from  the  fir- 
ing-line— from  Oldfield  and  sea-girt  Haitang, 
from  Clearwater  and  Bonniebum  and  the  City  of 
Lingering  Peace.  Hundreds  of  younger  men  and 
women  are  here,  students  in  Christian  schools, 
who,  a  few  weeks  later,  are  to  listen  to  the  first 
President  of  the  Chinese  Republic  proclaiming 
from  this  same  platform  the  oneness  of  the 
aims  of  the  Republic  with  the*  ideals  of  the 
Church.  To-day  nineteen  are  to  be  ordained  to 
th.^  work  of  the  ministry.  Among  them  are 
familiar  names,  and  the  old  man  lingers  lovingly 

243 


On  December  IS,  1912,  ichile  this  book  uu.h 
in  process  of  /mnting,  its  autho,,  :Jrs.  N.  Moore 
Sites,  having  completed  her  life  and  labor  of 
love,    fell   asleep.  . 

4s  her  husbmuVs  loyal  companion  and  help- 
meet throughout  his  heroic  life  she  was  active 
in  many  lines  of  missionary  work.  Her  most 
lastinq  inprcss,  however,  was  through  her  pen, 
translatinq  our  noblest  hymns  and  e^uwhing 
,rith  numerous  hooks  the  native  Chnsttan 
literature. 

To  her.  as  a  wise,  faithful,  deeply  affectionate 
mother,  her  children  who  mourn  her  loss  pay 
loving  tribute. 


1^' 


i     i 
IBS 


''1P"*'<PI^»'11— Wl*- 


CAMP-FIRE 


243 


on  the  memories  they  recall.  As  if  in  a  dream  he 
speaks. 

His  words  are  chiefly  of  one  with  whom  he  nsed 
to  tonr  the  hills  when  the  followers  of  the  Lamb 
were  but  a  meagre  handful,— of  many  glad  and 
weary  days  they  spent  together  seeking  ont  the 
hearts  of  men.  How  rich  the  findings  from  that  holy 
quest  I  How  manifold  the  returns  he  reaped  even 
here  for  the  giving  up  of  father  and  mother  and 
children  t  And  if  it  is  given  to  the  spirits  of  those 
who  have  loved  us  on  earth  to  share  the  joy  of 
our  everyday  victory,  with  what  rapture  must 
that  High  Soul  look  down  to-day  upon  these  gath- 
ering hosts  of  recruit  in  God's  great  army,  going 
on  to  take  the  world! 


THE  DOMINANT  CHORD 


"  IK  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  IIAK 
BT 

W.  B.  BISSOKNETTE 


ESC 


tm^tmm^mmfmm 


riH 


"  IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  MAN 


»> 


IT  was  a  dreary  afternoon  in  February  on  the 
island  of  Haitang.    I  emerged  from  the  wind- 
swept waste  into   a   shelter  of  sand-blown 
ridges  and  bush-fringed  homesteads,  which  broke 
the  gray  line  of  the  sand-sea.    Between  sky  and 
sea  I  cannot  imagine  a  land  so  lonely,  so  nakedly 
and  bitterly  forlorn;  yet  I  was  not  lonely,  nor  had 
I  walked  altogether  forlorn  in  the  bitter  weather 
along  the  dimly  traced  footpaths  on  that  winter 
day.    The  black  patches  huddled  on  the  edge  of 
the  plain  were  villages,  centres  of  cultivation  in 
the  stony  waste.    They  stood  over  against  the 
sand-swells  and  were  fortified  by  lines  of  scrubby 
trees  and  mounds  of  gray  sea-grass,  with  outlying 
fields  of  bean  and  wheat  flanking  with  green  lines 
these  citadels  of  life.     I  climbed  a  sand-ridge, 
Cx-ossed  a  bare  strip  of  earth,  and  broke  into  the 
Paradise  of  Duaibang,  a  village  of  deep-hedged 
lanes,  and  low-walled  fields. 

The  hout98  were  sheltered  in  the  background. 
It  was  quiet  in  there  after  the  howling  wilderness 
and  its  raving  wind ;  and  I  was  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  a  strange  sense  of  isolation  in  the  first  few 
moments.  There  was  a  friendship  potently 
present  and  bracing,  out  on  the  barren  trail, 
which  seemed  about  to  retreat  from  the  proximity 

347 


^ 


2«  THE  DOMINANT  CHOBD 

He  pomted  me  ..lently.  with  an  eloquent  thru.t 
of  the  whole  month,  toward  the  chapel,  which  I 
knew  wa.  «,mewhere  about  among  those  lowly 
hahtation.  of  the  poor.    It  found  me  first   and 

"rt  Te  t  '11!  *""""J'  '"'"">  pre«dentMo  e. 
wrt  me  into  the  eacred  precincts,  which,  during 

t  T^.  r*'''  *"*  "»«'»'  ""ice  .;  a  day 
«hoo .  Thither  came  en  masse  the  residue  of  rte 
^habitants,  to  welcome  and  give  me  the  freedom 
^t  i».V^-  7'"'  ^"'^  ■'^"«''«'  sooi  and  long 
and  .n*v,dually  to  its  legitimate  business  of  loaf^ 
fvL^t       ""  "'^"'""  '*"  "^^o  """J  been  rescued 

S"  X"!""'  "'*'"'"■"•  ""^  '"^" '°'° "  «■« 

w»^.  ^'^'f^J^^  ^''"^'  """^  *«■"  to  wofk.  It 
was  the  day  of  the  quarterly  meeting,  and  the  offi- 

vinLTo^r^  '"!'*  ^f^-^i  ^™«'  'he  -at  efd 
villages  of  the  circuit  to  report  on  the  spiritual 
^d  temporal  state  of  the  Kingdom  whichCst 
their  keeping.  They  were  a  group  of  primitive 
Christians.   I  thought  of  the  relum  of  the  ?we  vT 

oott  ^JI'^L"""  »■"=«  "P""  "  t™»  ^"0  sent 
out  to  publish  the  good  tidings  in  hallowed  Israel- 
and  of  later  meetings,  in  old  Jerusalem,  when  the 
apostles  returned  from  far  journeys  o  « 
and  commune  together.  In  this  motley  grourone 
might  imagine  more  than  a  single  prot?™e  of 

countryman,    this    eager-eyed    enthusiast     this 
dreamy  old  teacher,  this  keen-faced  ascetic,  Ind 


liv  Lone  Sca-lircakers. 


«'  IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  MAN  "   249 

this  bronze-browed  fighter,  who  had  weathered 
years  of  persecution — would  not  any  of  these  have 
found  his  kindred  there  among  those  early  seek- 
ers of  the  great  and  goodly  Pearl!  On  the  bench 
beside  me  sat  one  whose  queued  head  was  rough 
and  rusty  as  a  cocoanut.  Its  continuous  bobbing 
and  swinging  under  the  smoking  lamp  seemed  to 
keep  time  to  the  staccato  debate  in  which  its  owner 
bore  a  leading  part.  A  seamed  face,  lighted  by 
a  pair  of  speaking  eyes,  was  thrust  backward 
across  his  shoulder,  and  brought  to  mind  a  lurking 
image  of  rugged  Peter  before  the  wistful  sweet- 
ness of  the  Spirit  had  softened  his  rocky  front. 
There  was  a  dash  of  salt  in  his  words  and  manner 
that  whetted  curiosity,  so  after  the  session  had 
closed  I  sought  him  out  for  a  quiet  talk. 

He  was  a  true  sea  pearl, — as  I  soon  discovered 
— much  incrusted,  indeed,  with  less  glorious  stuff, 
but  well  worth  digging  to,  for  all  that.  He  led 
me  back  over  the  long  flinty  track  of  his  hard-got 
life.  It  had  all  been  lived  on  the  desolate  stretch 
of  rock  and  sand  which  he  called  home — his  native 
bit  of  earth.  When  the  Light-bearers  first  began 
to  seed  this  coast  with  the  Living  Word,  the 
island  people  were  much  engaged  in  the  business 
of  piracy;  and  it  took  close  and  heavy  hammer- 
ing to  break  the  granite  surface  of  their  iron- 
hearted  paganism,  before  the  tender  Word  of  God 
could  find  soil  and  shelter.  But  to  this  son  of  the 
sea  it  had  come  in  an  easier  way, — somewhat  as 
the  Light  of  the  World  must  have  come  to  the 
favored  Twelve — in  the  form  of  a  human  friend. 


^M 


250 


THE  DOMINANT  CHORD 


That  friend  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  of  whom 
he  spoke  many  things,  waxing  more  and  more  glad 
as  they  rose  in  memory.  But  one  thought  remains 
with  me  now,  **  He  was  patient  above  all  men." 
Then  followed  an  eloquent  recital  of  bygone  in- 
cidents that  proved  the  gift  of  patience.  The  old 
exhorter  placed  the  emphasis  on  the  right  quality. 
I  had  not  heard  it  named  so  insistently  before. 
It  gave  durance  to  a  set  of  features  as  the  final 
pressure  of  the  graver's  tool  does  to  a  carving. 

This  was  the  last  stroke  needed  to  complete  a 
picture  which  my  mind  had  been  drawing  for 
nearly  a  decade.  It  gave  the  last  outline  to  a 
human  face  whose  growing  lineaments  were 
emerging  into  clear  distinction,  and  I  felt  that  I 
was  seeing  for  the  first  time  a  true  portrait  of  the 
man,  upon  whose  trail  I  had  been  treading  on 
that  weary  day  in  that  desolate  landscape.  Lying 
awake  on  my  board  bed  in  the  gusty  darkness  of 
the  stone  chapel,  I  thought,  that  night,  of  the  one 
who  had  been  there  before  me,  and  who  had  trod 
the  same  stony  path  through  the  island  desert; 
had  met  with  some  of  the  same  class ;  heard  much 
the  same  words  from  their  lips,  and  had  lain  in 
the  same  place  through  the  wild  night  years  ago. 
And  a  vision  of  many  paths,  winding  their  lonely 
way  over  a  whole  province,  and  all  converging  at 
last  into  one  that  came  to  the  foot  of  a  cross,  wove 
itself  upon  the  dusking  ground  of  sleep.  And  if 
I  dreamed  at  all,  my  dream  was  this  pattern  of  a 
man's  footprints  turned  to  gold,  and  a  shining 
web  whose  silver  wanderings  were  like  the  strands 


"  IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  MAN  '»   251 

of  a  net  which  drew  the  great  dark  globe  of  earth 
toward  a  faint  celestial  coast. 

After  I  began  to  travel  the  old  trails  of  the 
earlier  missionaries  it  was  not  long  before  the 
sense  of  a  fairer  fellowship,  moving  parallel  with 
mine,  but  in  another  sphere,  began  to  companion 
my  going.    But  when  and  where  I  began  to  iden- 
tify this  communion  with  a  single  spirit  it  is  im- 
possible to  remember.    The  tradition  of  a  saintly 
preacher,  who  bore  the  name  of  Nathan  Sites,  much 
beloved  by  all  men,  is  still  strong  in  Foochow 
and  its  neighborhood.     But  this  was  onl>   the 
shadow,  the  nimbus  of  a  head,  warmly  lingering 
after  the  owner  had  gone.    Whatever  else  was 
added  in  the  slow  process  of  acquaintance,  I  know 
that  the  idea  of  goodness  was  the  basis  of  the 
creation,  and  the  other  features,  picked  out  here 
and  there,  as  I  became  aware  of  them  through  the 
years   of  intercourse  with  the   people  he  had 
moulded,  were  the  variants  of  this  first  golden 
holding.     He  was  remembered  among  them  as 
**  the  best  friend  of  the  Chinese,"  and  "  He  loved 
us  more  than  any  other,"  and  "  His  love  was 
from  within."    But  these  sayings  began  to  have 
another  meaning  when  one  heard  that  he  was  the 
first  of  the  missionaries  to  care  for  their  homely 
food;  to  eat  often  at  their  rough  wooden  tables; 
to  sleep  on  their  grass  matting  and  cane  beds; 
and  to  live  for  weeks  and  months  under  their 
smoky  roofs.    It  was  thus  that  he  learned  the 
kindly    greeting    which    is    still    remembered, 
**  Brother,  have  you  eaten  your  supper  yet! " 


252 


THE  DOMINANT  CHORD 


Though  flat  and  empty  in  our  English  phrase,' 
when  rolled  out  in  sonorous  Chinese,  it  was  his 
trumpet  call  to  brotherhood  in  every  friendly 
group.  For  him,  religion  was  a  partnership 
with  every  man  who  was  willing  to  share  life 
with  him.  He  found  that  joy  in  the  sharing  which 
belongs  to  every  whole-hearted  host  in  feeding 
his  guest  to  the  full;  and  he  was  great  enough, 
too,  to  share  the  host's  part  with  them,  and  to 
play  the  true  guest  to  his  humble  entertainers  in 
more  than  meat  and  drink.  In  those  days  the 
faithful  itinerant,  whose  circuit  included  half  a 
province,  was  often  isolated  for  months  from  all 
intellectual  and  social  companionship  of  his  own 
kind;  his  Chinese  Bible  was  his  chief  source  of 
mental  stimulus;  and  Chinese  minds,  as  bare  of 
thought  as  the  raw  hills  of  clothing  forestry,  were 
the  only  sowing  ground  from  which  he  might  reap 
a  reciprocal  harvest  of  ideas  and  feelings. 

There  are  martyrs,  indeed,  who  suffer  slow 
atrophy  of  mind,  and  an  inner  loneliness  that 
eats  the  soul  hollow,  whose  oblation  is  for  a  life- 
time of  years ;  and  there  are  those  whose  travail 
is  only  of  flesh  and  blood;  and  there  are  those, 
fewer  than  these,  whose  sacrifice  is  the  purest  form 
of  joy.  I  think  he  was  kin  to  the  last.  There 
must  have  been  a  simple  sc  Jiething  ir  him  which 
made  him  happy  with  the  simp-est.  This  steady 
joy  colors  the  surface  of  his  picture,  glowing 
from  the  depths.  Many  a  time,  toward  evening, 
his  robust  figure,  large  in  the  sunset,  must  have 
loomed  in  the  doorway,  and  his  warm  face,  cheered 


"  IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  MAN  "   253 

with  a  ruddy  tinge,  looked  its  own  welcome  into 
the  dusky  Chinese  home,  just  before  his  friendly 
call  went  out,  and  the  whole  household  of  fathers, 
mothers,  children  and  grandchildren,  rose  and  ran 
to  greet  him.  It  would  be  a  festal  night,  long  to 
be  remembered,  with  much  eating  and  talking, 
laughing  and  pi  aying,  and  a  blessing  shining  from 
his  face,  as  palpably  as  the  misty  light  upon  the 
low  rice  fields  before  the  homestead. 

The  next  morning-  after  the  rice  was  eaten, 
weighty  matters  of  grave  import  would  be  brought 
out.  A  pig  had  been  stolen  by  the  scoundrels  o** 
the  large  village  under  the  bamboo  grove ;  a  law- 
suit was  threatened,  or  money  was  demanded  by 
the  stronger  party  for  the  procession  of  idols; 
or  the  official  at  the  county-seat  wai  extorting 
strange  taxes  from  the  hard-pressed  people. 
Where  was  the  right?  How  should  they  behave 
as  Christians  and  not  be  utterly  downtrodden? 
It  was  then  that  he  rose  into  the  true  ambassador 
of  Jesuit  Christ,  and  the  majesty  of  judgment 
rested  upon  him,  as  upon  the  **  bearded  coun- 
sellor of  God."  His  lips  spoke  peace.  At  the 
bottom  of  his  buoyant  power  was  a  drop  of  spirit, 
serene  and  deep;  and  this  calm  deposit  rose  and 
diffused  itself  over  this  troubled  aspect  of  the 
life  he  lived  with  the  simple  Christian  folk  of 
Chinese  cities  and  quiet  countrysides.  Once,  in 
a  great  quarrel  between  pagan  and  Christian,  in 
the  Hokchiang  country,  his  decision  had  been 
against  the  faithful,  but  the  fame  of  the  righteous 
judgment  lingers  to  this  day,  and  the  name  of 


254 


THE  DOMINANT  CHORD 


Christ  became  a  sweet  savor  in  that  region  to 
many  who  never  knew  of  Him  in  any  other  way. 
Those  were  the  dark  ages  in  all  the  low-sea  coun- 
try, where  sunken  roads  wound  away  to  mysteri- 
ous places  on  the  ragged  coast;  where  hidden 
villages  were  still  the  rendezvous  of  sea  robbers 
and  freebooters,  and  where  lurking  bands  found 
easy-going  and  good  hunting  on  the  narrow  trail. 
There  were  strange  disappearances.  The  travel- 
er or  merchant  returning  from  the  city,  and  foot- 
ing slowly  down  the  afternoon,  would  find  him- 
self suddenly  alone.  Before  he  was  aware  of  the 
import  of  this,  the  dark  squad  was  debouching 
from  the  covert;  the  onset  followed,  swift  and 
silent;  there  was  a  cry,  then  ominous  stillness; 
black  figures  moved  in  rapid  silhouette  along  the 
twilight  horizon,  and  a  solitary  one  lay  heaped 
across  the  path,  but  moved  no  more. 

Of  such  men,  victim  and  robber,  were  his  neigh- 
bors; for  they  had  both  fallen  among  thieves; 
and  he  understood  the  fifth  beatitude  and  beauti- 
fully embossed  it  in  the  visible  deed.  Very  lit- 
erally must  these  early  followers  of  the  Lamb 
construe  the  law  of  love,  which,  all  too  often  for 
the  frail  faith  of  Christendom,  has  meant  actually 
the  loving  of  the  robber,  the  assailant,  and  the 
murderer.  Very  stem,  and  with  an  edge  of  mortal 
sharpness,  must  the  law  of  love  have  fallen  from 
his  lips  in  those  clashing  times  of  right  and 
wrong.  He  suffered  with  these  friends,  more 
than  for  them.  He  saw  them  as  they  were,  and 
he  saw  them  in  God.    He  lived  for  months  at  a 


"  IN  THE  FOOTSTEPS  OF  A  MAN  "    255 

time  in  their  dim  interiors,  and  his  soul  found  its 
home  in  the  hrown  shadows  of  their  eyes.  I  do 
not  think  he  was  assimilated  to  the  crude  mass 
of  life  in  which  he  lived.  It  was  more  that  he 
infolded  theirs  with  his  own  golden  current  of 
being,  which  kept  its  sphery  balance,  quite  dis- 
tinct, yet  not  apart,  from  the  homely  element  in 
which  it  hung.  He  was  pure  in  heart,  and  it  was 
this  enlarging  drop,  with  its  cleansing  blue  of  the 
living  Spirit,  which  kept  his  vision  true  and  clear. 
So  these  poor  faces  and  withered  souls  discerned 
something  besides  their  own  lin  and  hue  imaged 
in  his  heart ;  and  because  the  imuge  was  patiently 
the  same  and  changed  not,  they  began  to  be  like 
to  what  they  beheld ;  to  be  what  they  really  were, 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  pure  heart  made  him  strong.  It  was  the 
chain  armor  of  the  crusading  knight,  the  secret 
lance  of  Galahad,  in  the  holy  warfare  of  his  lonely 
life.  That  is  all  that  seems  essential  to  him  now. 
He  walks  his  way  with  the  spring  of  youth,  a  high- 
hearted hero  to  the  poor;  a  friendly  sun-treader, 
happy  in  walking  the  old  earth-ways  which  still 
show  the  warm  pressure  of  his  manly  tread ;  and 
having  never  seen  him  in  the  flesh,  I  cannot  think 
of  him  as  bent  or  whitened  by  timely  age.  In  fact, 
his  years  were  not  great,  and  there  was  no  time 
for  the  long  serene  senescence  which  lays  the  cir- 
clet on  the  brows  of  those  who  endure,  seeing 
things  invisible,  far  into  the  eve.  With  him  it 
was  a  sudden  break  from  early  evening  sunlight 
to  the  sacred  splendors  of  the  summer  mom.   He 


256  THE  DOMINANT  CHORD 

walks  still  in  those  old  paths  which  his  feet  made 
years  ago,  and  wo,  who  tread  them  now,  know  his 
coinpany  well;  feeling  it  as  a  human  nearness 
amid  the  swarming  crowds,  and  again  as  a  com- 
muning spirit  on  the  mountain  paths-something 
that  might  suddenly  shine  out  of  .he  all-embossing 
presence-if  eyes  were  fresh  enough  for  the 
sacred  surprise  of  such  a  miracle. 

The  elements  of  this  sketch  are  limned  deep  and 
n%^f°?  *'^®^''  ''P*'°  ^^«^^y  taWets;  and  yet  not 

I  fu    r^:    ^^^^  "^^^^  «^^«°«*^  ^rom  the  hearts 
Of  the  Chinese,  who  so  peopled  his  own  heart. 

t't'''  u'!^  v^ ''  "^^^^"^  «*"^'  an  apostle  indeed, 
m  the  white  Ime  of  the  true  succession,  where 
stand  all  those  who  are  linked  by  the  Spirit  of 
Chnst  to  the  Living  God. 


FWXTOD  IX   THE    UKIWD  STATES   OF  AKEBICA 


